Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act comes into force and removes public funding from numerous areas of law, including immigration
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) came into force yesterday, meaning fewer people now have access to free legal representation.
The changes have seen public funding removed from entire areas of civil law, BBC News reports.
According to BBC News, the Bar Council said "vulnerable people will suffer".
The Guardian reports that the extensive cuts to civil legal aid will result in vulnerable people struggling to find help as "advice deserts" open up in parts of the country.
While immigration cases are affected by the removal of legal aid, BBC News notes that asylum cases will continue to receive funding.
Useful links
The gov.uk section on legal aid can be found at https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/overview
The Ministry of Justice website carries information intended for legal aid practitioners at http://www.justice.gov.uk/legal-aid
The Coram Children's Legal Centre has published several useful guides to legal aid accessible from http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/index.php?page=legal_advice_and_representation, including information on immigration
The Bar Council has published its extensive A Guide to Representing Yourself in Court at http://live.barcouncil.netxtra.net/media/203109/srl_guide_final_for_online_use.pdf