Free legal advice, because your rights matter.
Free legal advice, because your rights matter.
A Lord from each party has supported the call to protect legal aid for the most complex welfare benefits cases, by tabling an amendment to the Legal Aid Bill.
(We have now closed this petition. However you can still sign up to write to a peer, just email pairupwithapeer@justice-for-all.org.uk)
78 000 disabled people a year rely on legal aid to navigate over 9000 pages of legalistic benefits guidance. This help is vital to making sure they get the support they need from the benefits system, as Government decisions are too often incorrect or unfair.
BARONESS DOOCEY
LORD NEWTON OF BRAINTREE
LORD BACH
LORD PANNICK
Page 125, line 5, at end insert—
“Social welfare law
1 (1) Civil legal services provided in respect of a social welfare decision relating to a benefit, allowance, payment, credit or pension under—
(a) the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;
(b) the Jobseekers Act 1995;
(c) the State Pension Credit Act 2002;
(d) the Tax Credits Act 2002;
(e) the Welfare Reform Act 2007;
(f) the Welfare Reform Act 2012; or
(g) any other enactment relating to social security.
(2) For the purposes of subparagraph (1), “civil legal services” includes independent advice and assistance for a review, or appeal to a first-tier tribunal, of such a decision.”
Updated briefing coming soon! This briefing relates to an earlier stage in parliament, but the issues for people who need advice remain the same.