A distressed 73-year-old tenant served with an invalid no-fault eviction notice avoided homeless. A person with schizophrenia struggling to challenge a welfare benefits decision received £4,830 in backdated payments. A domestic abuse victim felt confident to represent herself in court in family proceedings. These are just three of the 100,000 clients helped by recipients of a government grant to provide legal support.
Their case studies feature in a policy paper published by the Ministry of Justice on Friday on the findings of the Help Accessing Legal Support (HALS) grant, a nine-month programme administered by the Access to Justice Foundation on behalf of the government between October 2022 and June 2023.
The report says the case studies demonstrate that recipients of the grant ‘helped many people to increase their income, stabilise their housing situations and avoid further family conflict, improving the wellbeing of the clients and their families’.
However, the report also shows the struggles faced by advice sector organisations. HALS recipients interviewed for the report said demand for their help has surged and cases have become increasingly complex – but they are struggling to recruit and retain talent, and the grant funding landscape has become tougher post-Covid.
Responding to the report, the Ministry of Justice has announced a £6m ‘boost’ for the Improving Outcomes through Legal Support and Online Support and Advice programme.
Justice minister Sarah Sackman KC said: ‘Access to early legal support for those experiencing issues with housing, welfare or debt can be vital in stopping problems from spiralling… This funding will help more people tackle everyday issues to ensure they can secure stable housing, improve their income, and reduce stress within the family.’
