Law Weblog

Legal Aid Minister, Vera Baird Q.C. MP promises improvements to legal aid

Thursday 23 November 2006 at 8:37 pm | In News | Post Comment

The new means test for legal aid was introduced on 2 October 2006 and about 60,000 representation orders have been granted. However, in some areas there have been concerns as to how means testing is operating.

Vera Bird has promised immediate changes to address these concerns. They will guarantee that representation orders will start from the date a completed form is first submitted.

There have been problems with payment for solicitors who represent clients at a first hearing, before a decision has been made on their legal aid application. They can get stuck without payment, if the form is rejected because of a technical error, and the case has ended. From 11th December this will not happen. In that situation, where a defendant qualifies for legal aid, the solicitor will be guaranteed payment from the date when the court received the original form. The forms used for young people and partners will be simpler.

The Government remains committed to the principle of means testing so that those who can afford to pay for their own defence do so.