Press Release
Focusing Civil Legal Services on People's Needs
22 March 2006A new strategy for civil legal advice that targets those in greatest need, is more coordinated, cost-effective and better geared to prevent common legal problems was launched by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) today.
'Making Legal Rights a Reality' published today is central to the Government’s vision Getting Earlier, Better Advice to Vulnerable People for legal aid, ‘A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid’, announced in July 2005, and the report that follows from this.
The LSC consulted last year on its strategy for the Community Legal Service (CLS), 'Making Legal Rights a Reality', which sets out a radical new approach to the way civil legal and advice services are funded, purchased and delivered. The strategy builds on the strong evidence base provided by the ‘Causes of Action’ research also published today, the most in-depth and long-term study into national civil justice problems.
The strategy is subject to the independent review of legal aid procurement being conducted by Lord Carter of Coles, who is likely to produce his final report later this Spring. This will include recommendations on procurement arrangements for the CLS. The LSC has consulted closely with Lord Carter’s team in the development of the strategy.
Welcoming the strategy, Constitutional Affairs Minister Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP said:
“The LSC is publishing this strategy now as a contribution to the process initiated in A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid, being taken forward through Lord Carter’s Review. Lord Carter's final Report, to be published in the Spring, will set out a detailed vision for the future of legally aided services, including the CLS.
“The aim is a sustainable future for the CLS which continues the good work of the last few years in providing quality legal services to those in need. We look forward to Lord Carter’s final recommendations in this area."
LSC Executive Director for Policy and Planning, Richard Collins, said:
"The Causes of Action research gives us the evidence to design services around the needs of people who face real problems in their lives. The Community Legal Service strategy will ensure that we commission services in locations where clients need them rather than where legal aid advisers and practitioners might otherwise choose to provide them.
“The number of people helped by the CLS has increased 10% across England and Wales over the past year and this strategy provides the foundation to build on that success further. It gives the CLS a new role in solving the causes of problems, greater flexibility for tackling local issues, more opportunities to promote a better awareness of legal rights and introduce better quality assurances, and creates a more cost-efficient and coordinated legal aid system.”
The LSC is responsible for understanding the need for advice, promoting joined up services and funding civil legal aid. Currently, the LSC provides £850 million to fund more than 800,000 acts of assistance (combining advice and representation) each year to help people receive civil legal advice for problems in areas such as divorce, domestic violence, housing, debt and welfare benefits. In addition, many general advice services are funded by local authorities and other government departments. Together these services make up the Community Legal Service.
The key proposals in 'Making Legal Rights a Reality' are:
Introducing Community Legal and Advice Centres in the most deprived communities, where clients will be able to get legal help for a range of social welfare problems. The Causes of Action research shows that it is common for people to have ‘clusters’ of related problems. For example people needing help with employment or benefits issues often also have problems with debt and housing. Currently they may have to seek help from different solicitors or agencies specialising in different areas of law. The centres would be jointly-funded and deliver a seamless service, from basic advice to specialist representation in the highest courts.
The LSC plans to establish up to 12 such centres over the next year and discussions are already at advanced stage with local authorities to launch the first two pilots in Leicester and Gateshead. It is for individual local authorities to decide on the level of their participation in centres.
Introducing Community Legal and Advice Networks, using the joined-up approach proposed for the centres in areas where a good network of service providers already exists. Rather than funding law firms or agencies to operate independently, they would be commissioned to form a network that can deliver an integrated service tailored to the needs of the region so that when a client walks in one door they are accessing the full range of services of the whole network.
Expanding Community Legal Service Direct to improve access to legal and advice services and achieve greater value for money. The Community Legal Service Direct helpline 0845 345 4 345 has achieved great success since it was launched 18 months ago. Its now receiving nearly 50,000 calls each month from people needing advice with benefits and tax credits, debt, education, employment and housing problems. The strategy proposes further expansion to provide more people with access to front line information, advice and assistance.
LSC data shows strong demand for, and satisfaction with, telephone services. Already half of all legal aid clients make first contact with their advisor by telephone and half of these go on to resolve their problem without any face-to-face contact. Feedback from people who have used Community Legal Service Direct shows that over 95 per cent had or would recommend the service to someone else.
Tackling the causes of problems. Legal and advice service providers witness the same kinds of problems repeatedly when public services fail to meet their statutory duties or when commercial companies mislead or exploit their customers. A great deal of time and money could be saved, and distress avoided, by tackling the source of common problems rather than dealing with the symptoms by repeated individual legal actions.
With this unique view of the pattern of problems that people face, the CLS can play a vital role in improving services. It will focus on raising awareness of the issues and negotiating solutions.
Improving information about legal rights and responsibilities. Such information currently exists but the complexity of the advice sector and the number of different sources of information can make it difficult for consumers to find what they need. Working with others, particularly the Department for Constitutional Affairs, will promote trusted sources and help people to navigate through the advice available.
Media information
For more information and for copies of the CLS Strategy or Causes of Action Research please contact:
Michaela Keating.
Tel: 020 7759 0444
Email: mailto:michaela.keating@legalservices.gov.uk
Notes to editors
1. Making Legal Rights a Reality is the LSC’s strategy for developing the Community Legal Services over the next five years. Copies are available from LSC press office and at the CLS pages of this site. The LSC launched a 12-week consultation on the strategy on 13 July 2005. Responses to the consultation are also available on the CLS pages.
2. The Department for Constitutional Affairs published A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid on 5 July 2005 (DCA press notice 178/05) and is available from the DCA website.
3. Getting Earlier, Better Advice to Vulnerable People is an inter-departmental review of civil legal and advice services commissioned by the Department of Constitutional Affairs as part of A Fairer Deal for Legal Aid. It is available from the DCA website.
Last updated: 28 December 2006