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Legal Aid: Civil news and updates
Some new legal aid regs in Scotland to disregard carer support payment in financial assessments and to make provision for advice and assistance in relation to arrests under the National Security Act 2023
Legal Aid and Advice and Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 4) Regulations 2023
New regs in England and Wales that:
‘... increase by 15% the fees payable for controlled legal aid work for individuals who receive a removal notice under the Illegal Migration Act 2023
New from the MoJ:
Call for evidence to obtain more information to further inform the Review of Civil Legal Aid and feed into policy development
The Review of Civil Legal Aid has launched a call for evidence, opening on 10 January 2024 and closing on 21 February 2024.
We are inviting interested parties at the heart of the civil legal aid system to submit evidence that will inform the Review, strengthening its evidence base and feeding into the development of short and long-term policy solutions. We are especially, but not exclusively interested in hearing the views of civil legal aid practitioners, people who have received legal aid, representative bodies and charities. We also invite contributions from academics who have carried out relevant research.
More info: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/review-of-civil-legal-aid-call-for-evidence
The Public Accounts Committee has launched an inquiry into value for money from legal aid, with a call for evidence on issues including the effectiveness of LASPO, access to justice and the sustainability of the legal aid market -
https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8153/value-for-money-from-legal-aid/
Advance notice from the Legal Aid Agency of a further tender for the 2024 Standard Civil Contract -
‘... for organisations who have not bid or have not been successful in the initial tender.’
Procurement exercise will open on 18 March 2024 to bids across all civil categories, and will include an opportunity to tender to deliver the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (in Barnstaple, Blackpool, Crewe, Lancaster, Newton Abbott, Preston, St Helens, Taunton, Torquay, Wigan and Yeovil).
More info: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/civil-news-further-tender-for-the-2024-standard-civil-contract
Gov.uk press release on changes to legal aid means testing coming into effect this year ... includes backdated welfare benefits and child maintenance payments being subject to a disregard ...
More info: Victims given greater access to justice through legal aid reform