“[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.

Cuts that hurt Amnesty International 2016 report link

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

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/oct/29/legal-aid-services-brink-collapse-lawyers-tell-mps-justice