Injustice for all

A story that doesn't seem to be hitting the headlines is the possible dissolution of the civil legal aid system.

The cdhange sto UK legal aid have threatened legal aid firms. Many have already already gone bust. These firms provided the highest quality access to justice for the most disadvantaged people. The solicitors in these firms could be earning a lot more working in the commercial sector but instead they work to ensure the most important thing: everyone has equal rights and equal access to justice.

What's sad is many organisations can't see the implications of the cut backs to legal aid and the threat to the civil legal aid system. Benefits appeals are covered by civil legal aid. Many poor and disabled people access justice to ensure they get their right to the benefits they're entitled to through community solicitors. Asylum seekers also get legal advice to help them appeal their claims. Those in debt get support through the civil legal aid syatem and they get the best support from the solicitors that people with more money can employ to resolve their debt problems.

The is a cost cutting exercise but the cuts mean the worse access to high quality legal help for the worst off. This is like cutting NHS healthcare and farming the work out to unskilled call centre operators. Manypeople won't get the full legal support they're entitled to. These cuts will affect the mental ill and the physically disabled because they're the people currently using the services provided by social justice firms.

What's so painful is seeing the poor media coverage. I wanted to find an article to link to that explained what's going on with the legal system to a lay person but I can't find anything upon a cursory search. There are important theoretical legal reasons why the civil legal aid system must remain well funded and these are what the lawyers seem to be talking about but these mean nothing to the public.

My own experience is getting help from a legal aid firm for my debts after a suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalisation. I was in no fit state to deal with any of it and my ardent desire was that I would have died in the failed attempt. Thankfully with the help of a dear friend I got to see a solicitor who helped me out with my debt problems and made it not seem like the end of the world.. I think they help many people in dire straits.