“[Greater Manchester Law Centre is] an invaluable resource for the people of Manchester.” – Liz Perry, local resident
We feel that it is important everyones understand why legal aid, law centres and access to justice and a comprehensive, well functioning welfare system are all essential in a democratic and fair society. This section aims to provide access to recent or significant documents and reports that discuss the state of access to justice in the UK as well as our own research.
What is LASPO?
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) is a statute of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, creating reforms to the justice system.
Legal Aid landscape and LASPO
Right to Justice Report by the Bach Commission, 2017
http://www.fabians.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bach-Commission_Right-to-Justice-Report-WEB.pdf
Our take on the Bach Commission report
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/09/25/the-bach-report-on-access-to-justice-positive-proposals-and-tangible-reforms/
Shaming impact of legal aid cuts
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/oct/13/senior-judge-warns-over-shaming-impact-of-legal-aid-cuts
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/oct/31/impact-of-cuts-to-legal-aid-to-come-under-review
Legal Aid cuts: false economy
http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/legal-aid-cuts-are-a-false-economy-denying-justice-to-620000-people-new-report-warns/
Government Legal Aid statistics July-September 2017
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-july-to-september-2017
Government Legal Aid statistics April-June 2017
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2017
Government Legal Aid statistics January-March 2017
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-january-to-march-2017
Government Legal Aid statistics January-March 2016
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2016
Legal Aid myth busters by Young Legal Aid Lawyers
http://www.younglegalaidlawyers.org/mythbuster
House of Commons report on LASPO 2015
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmjust/311/31102.htm
Government Legal Aid statistics July-September 2015
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2015
Survey of Not for Profit Legal Advice Providers in England and Wales 2015
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/survey-of-not-for-profit-legal-advice-providers
Cuts that hurt: The impact of legal aid cuts in England on access to justice, Amnesty International, 2016
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/EUR4549362016ENGLISH.PDF
Priced out of justice? Means testing legal aid and making ends meet, Law Society and Loughborough University, 2018
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/documents/priced-out-of-justice-report/
Global Insights on Access to Justice, World Justice Project, 2018
https://worldjusticeproject.org/sites/default/files/documents/WJP_Access-Justice_April_2018_Online.pdf
Legal aid services are on brink of collapse, lawyers tell MPs, The Guardian, 29 Oct 2020
Some campaign articles by GMLC
PIP claim process – a study by GMLC volunteers
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/12/07/the-pip-claim-process-a-study-by-gmlc-volunteers/
Snapshot from our 2017 Annual Report – on campaigning and fundraising
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/11/27/snapshot-3-from-our-annual-report-campaigning-and-fundraising/
Snapshot from our 2017 Annual Report – Chair’s report
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/10/05/snapshot-1-from-our-annual-report-chairs-report/
Our statement on Universal Credit
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/10/12/our-statement-on-universal-credit-we-will-not-be-complicit/
ESA claims study
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/08/30/esa-claims-a-study-by-gmlc-volunteer-paul-cosier/
Were Grenfell Tower residents denied access to justice?
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/08/03/were-grenfell-tower-residents-denied-access-to-justice/
Social and legal causes of homelessness
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2017/09/14/social-and-legal-causes-of-homelessness/