The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has today launched the 2024 Standard Civil Contract tender.
By Law News
The contracts are being tendered without a pay increase
Law Society of England and Wales President Lubna Shuja said: “We are disappointed the government has not listened to our call for an emergency 15% (£11.3 million) interim investment in early advice to stop legal aid from completely vanishing.
“Civil legal aid fees have not increased since 1996, representing a real-terms cut of 49.4% in fees to 2022.
“We know that the public need free legal advice now more than ever, yet legal aid is disappearing.*
“We reiterate our call to the government to shore up the civil legal aid market by implementing an interim 15% for providers of early legal advice, while the Civil Legal Aid Review is ongoing.
“Early legal advice is needed now more than ever, as families are facing eviction or bankruptcy. They need legal advice to prevent homelessness or falling further into debt.”