Legal aid not getting to the most vulnerable

Research by the Legal Action Group (LAG) has accused the government of failing to help the most vulnerable during the economic downturn as the extra legal aid cash made available in July (£10 million) has been spent in the wealthiest areas in England and Wales. LAG found that the most deprived areas, including Liverpool, Hackney and Manchester missed out on extra spending for social welfare cases, whereas ‘almost all’ the most prosperous boroughs, including Surrey and West Berkshire benefitted. More than 70 per cent of the funding was spent in 20 per cent of the most prosperous boroughs.