Charities say legal aid cuts ‘cost more in long-term’

The Government’s objective of slashing the legal aid budget in order to save money has been called into question by charities, which say the cuts will cost more in the long-term. As MPs take to the Commons this week to debate the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, some 24 charities have warned of the dangers of scaling down legal aid for disabled people. Reducing the availability of legal aid for disabled people appealing against benefit decisions could end up costing more, say charities including Mind, Scope, the RNIB, Mencap, and Leonard Cheshire Disability. The organisations have banded together to warn that disabled people will be left out in the cold of they slip through the welfare support net. The charities have called upon the Government to preserve legal aid for cases where disabled people appeal decisions concerning their benefits. Meanwhile Liberal Democrat backbencher Tom Brake has led a group of his colleagues in tabling an amendment to retain legal aid for welfare benefit appeals. The charities maintain some 80,000 people – most of them disabled – will be affected by the cuts. IBB Solicitors’ specialist Charities team has over 50 years’ combined experience in delivering practical commercial advice to charities and not for profit organisations and those who work with them. For advice, call us on 08456 381381 or email charities@ibblaw.co.uk