Legal aid advice network 'decimated' by funding cuts

In December 2018 the BBC Shared Data Unit reported cuts to legal aid had created "deserts" of provision across England and Wales.

Our analysis showed up to a million people lived in areas with no legal aid provision for housing, with a further 15 million in areas with one provider.

We analysed Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency data since 2011-12 and found:

• Around a million fewer claims for legal aid were being processed each year.
• More than 1,000 fewer legal aid providers were paid for civil legal aid work than in 2011-12.
• Four legal aid providers for welfare cover Wales and the South West while 41 covered London and the South East.
• Almost half of all community care legal aid providers were based in London.

This piece of content was produced by a regional newspaper reporter working alongside BBC staff.

The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the BBC and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:

• The Eastern Daily Press: Legal aid funding cut by almost half in six years as advice network “decimated” 10 December 2018

• Great Yarmouth Mercury: Legal aid funding cut by almost half in six years as advice network “decimated” 10 December 2018

• The Bury Times: Bury's legal aid provision "decimated" by austerity Ministry of Justice data reveals 10 December 2018

• The Yorkshire Post: Cuts to legal aid causing 'advice deserts', analysis shows 10 December 2018

• Rochdale Online: Legal aid in Rochdale slashed 10 December 2018

• Bradford Telegraph & Argus: Vulnerable struggling to get legal help after cuts bite 10 December 2018

• Stourbridge News: Legal aid for Dudley civil cases falls by half, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 10 December 2018

• The Bolton News: Bolton's legal aid provision "decimated" by austerity Ministry of Justice data reveals 10 December 2018

• Cornish Stuff: Legal aid cuts make Cornwall an ‘advice desert’ 10 December 2018

• The Kidderminster Shuttle: Legal aid for civil cases in Wyre Forest falls by more than 40 per cent, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 11 December 2018

• The Swindon Advertiser: Cuts to legal aid failing domestic abuse victims says chief of Swindon Women's Aid 11 December 2018

• The Bromsgrove Advertiser: Legal aid for civil cases in Bromsgrove falls by 75 per cent, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 11 December 2018

• The Redditch & Alcester Advertiser: Legal aid for civil cases in Redditch falls by half, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 11 December 2018

• York: The Press: Legal aid spending in York falls by more than half 12 December 2018

• Examiner Live: Legal aid cuts leading to more people representing themselves in Kirklees court 12 December 2018

• The Leader: Fewer providers offering legal aid in Wrexham and Flintshire, according to study 12 December 2018

• The story was also used by the BBC News Channel, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio 4 - Today, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Cumbria, BBC Surrey, BBC Somerset, BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Shropshire

Get the data

• Legal aid provision
• Legal aid cuts

Visualisation

• Map: Where civil legal aid providers are based

Background and briefing

• Project briefing