Criminal legal aid: £24m welcome first step to tackle crisis

The lord chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, has allocated additional funding of:

• £18.5 million to legal aid work carried out in police stations
• £5.1 million to youth court legal aid work for the most serious offences
• £400,000 to reimburse travel time for solicitors who work or commute to work in areas with fewer than two legal aid providers, as well as the Isle of Wight

The changes come into force on Friday 6 December 2024.

The funding for police station work is slightly more in cash terms than indicated in the February 2024 consultation.

The lord chancellor has also emphasised this is a first step to nurse the criminal defence sector back to health, and she is considering what further steps to take in relation to criminal legal aid fees in the light of the budget.

“It is extremely encouraging that the lord chancellor sees the important role that solicitors play in our criminal justice system,” said Law Society president Richard Atkinson.

“The additional funding brings hope to the criminal defence profession, as does her recognition that this is just the first step needed to stabilise the sector.

“We have long called for assistance for solicitors in areas where there are few providers, so the announced travel time reimbursements are also very welcome.”

The announcement marks the start of a new, more collaborative relationship between the Law Society and Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which has seen recent constructive discussions with the lord chancellor.

We had previously called for an injection of funding into police station and youth court work to start to create a sustainable future for legal aid.

Next steps

The Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board (CLAAB) report lays bare the scale of the criminal legal aid crisis.

“We understand that the crisis cannot be solved overnight, but the government should set out a timetable for further funding for criminal legal aid solicitors by the end of the year,” said Richard.

“We look forward to working with the lord chancellor as she considers the next steps needed to ensure access to justice for all and the effective running of our criminal justice system.”