Policy
3 April, 2008
LSC announce award of Specialist Support Services and CLS Grants
£5 million allocated over 3 years
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) announced today the award of almost £5 million to the successful applicants of Specialist Support Services (SSS) and Community Legal Services (CLS) Grants.
Commenting on the announcement, Carolyn Regan, Chief Executive of the LSC said -
'These new Specialist Support Service and Community Legal Service Grants complement our strategy for the Community Legal Service and our wider objectives, of ensuring vulnerable clients have access to the advice services they need while obtaining better value for taxpayers money.'
The SSS was allocated £2 million and provides support to legal aid advice providers through telephone advice and support with casework.
Contracts to provide Specialist Support Services were awarded to -
- Public Law Solicitors for Community Care (England & Wales)
- Citizens Advice for Debt (England & Wales)
- Citizens Advice for Employment (England & Wales)
- Shelter for Housing (England)
- Scott-Moncrieff for Mental Health (England & Wales)
- Public Law Project for Public Law (England & Wales)
- Child Poverty Action Group for Welfare Benefits (England)
- London Advice Services Alliance for Welfare Benefits (Wales)
CLS Grants has been allocated almost £3 million over a 3 year period and funding was available for complementary services that could not be funded from other sources.
Grants have been awarded to -
- The Connie & Albert Taylor Charitable Trust - A one-off grant to report on the feasibility of solicitors firms becoming incorporated as a 'Community Interest Company'
- LawWorks - For 3 years to cover advice in pro-bono clinics
- Royal Court of Justice CAB - For 3 years to provide access to justice for unrepresented litigants
- Ben Hoare Bell - For 2 years for education and outreach work on issues relating to BME women
- Disability law Service - For 3 years on three distinct activities; complementing DLS, legal access worker and part-time development worker
- Advice Services Alliance - For 3 years to help ensure NfP sector continues to contribute to development of CLS and provide high quality services to vulnerable clients
- Public Law Project - For 3 years to tackle localised systemic illegality or maladministration by public bodies
- Matrix Chambers - For 3 years for redevelopment of on-line community to provide sharing, support and co-ordination between providers
- Law Centres Federation - For 3 years for two-part project: Imrpoving access and raising awareness.
N.B. Contracts to provide SSS in housing advice in Wales and immigration advice in England and Wales have been re-tendered.
For more information see the LSC press release Specialist Support Service and Community Legal Service Grants.
See also the related rightsnet policy new stories -
- Future of Specialist Support Service and CLS Grants: LSC launches consultation paper (19 June, 2007)
- Specialist Support Services consultation put on hold: Delay to allow more time for 'analysis and consideration' (15 November, 2006)
- LSC consults on future of specialist support services : Front-line advice organisations urged to respond by 15 September (12 September, 2006)
- Specialist Support review begins: Legal Services Commission looking at supplier support projects (13 July, 2006)
- LSC revokes termination of funding for specialist support services : Decision follows support from MPs and threat of Judical Review proceedings (23 March, 2006)
