Warning made over legal aid cuts plans

Two law groups have warned that planned cuts to the legal aid budget will cost more than they will save.

Proposals put forward by Justice Secretary Ken Clarke would see civil legal aid for a number of areas, including clinical negligence, relationship break-ups and school admissions, axed in a bid to save £350 million by 2015.

However, the Bar Council and the Law Society have warned that the cuts "could end up costing rather than saving taxpayers' money, with a devastating effect on access to justice", leaving hundreds of thousands of people unrepresented.

Actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley has backed the Sound Off For Justice campaign, claiming that without legal aid, cases like the Gurkha Justice Campaign "could never have been fought, let alone won".

Stephen Cobb QC, chairman of the Family Law Bar Association, said the proposals would trigger "a surge in DIY litigants which risks gridlock in the courts as they struggle to get justice".

He added: "The threats posed by the Government's proposals are real and potentially brutal."

Our Family and Matrimonial team helps families across West London and Bucks. For advice, contact a member of the team, call us on 01494 790007 or email enquiries@ibblaw.co.uk.