Major boost for legal aid fees
Access to justice in Scotland has been significantly improved with a 13% increase in all legal aid fees following a sustained campaign from the Law Society of Scotland
The Scottish Parliament is set to lay regulations on this increase, which will become effective from September 2026. In a further commitment to enhancing access to justice, the Scottish Government has announced £1.5 million over the next two years to support 40 new legal aid solicitor traineeships. This initiative aims to alleviate the ongoing pressures on legal aid services and attract new talent to the sector.
Patricia Thom, President of the Law Society of Scotland, emphasised the importance of this development, stating “We have fought long and hard for this support for legal aid. This is a significant fee increase and a lifeline for access to justice in Scotland that will help stabilise the legal aid system while work on long-term reform continues.” She also highlighted the detrimental impact of inadequate fees, saying “It has been widely acknowledged that inadequate fees are driving solicitors to stop taking on legal aid work. While it would be better if fees went up tomorrow, this announcement gives solicitors a reason to remain in the legal aid system.” Thom added that the increase for civil, criminal and children's legal aid services provides “much needed breathing space” as they collaborate with the Scottish Government on establishing a sustainable fee review mechanism.
She further addressed the importance of nurturing new talent within the field, remarking, “Just as important as retaining solicitors who are already carrying out legal aid work is the need to bring fresh talent into the sector.” Overall, this increase in legal aid fees and the introduction of new traineeships mark significant steps towards securing a more robust framework for access to justice in Scotland amid ongoing pressures within the legal system.
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