Forum Home → Discussion → Access to justice and advice sector issues → Thread
MoJ consulting on changes to financial eligibility criteria for legal aid
Looking at the interim measure that included universal credit as passporting benefit for parts of the criminal and civil legal aid means tests.
‘Nothing in this consultation will affect the scope of or eligibility thresholds for legal aid, but instead when claimants are passported and so do not have to undergo a full assessment of their means.’
https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/legal-aid-eligibility-and-universal-credit/
The Legal Aid Agency has today, belatedly, issued a press release on the consultation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/civilcrime-news-eligibility-for-legal-aid-and-universal-credit
From Legal Voice:
Ministers are proposing to limit eligibility for legal aid to universal credit recipients in an attempt to avoid an estimated increase of £14m a year as a result of welfare reforms.