Justice organisations have suggested that calls to restore help for those that need it are not enough.
The Government's pledge to improve early advice for social welfare claimants and spend an extra £6.5m has been described as a "drop in the ocean" with respect to the cuts imposed on legal aid spending, according to lawyers and justice organisations.
Charities an professionals have welcomed the Ministry of Justice's limited move to restore help in areas involving children, charities and professionals, however comment has been made that austerity will continue to inflict severe damage on an underfunded justice system.
The recent 290-page MoJ review fulfilled a vow to examine the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (Laspo), which had reduced annual legal aid expenditure by £350m from 2013.
The MoJ is restoring legal aid for migrant children separated from their families and those involved in guardianship cases in family courts, and will overhaul the severely criticised exceptional case funding system, which is supposed to help in cases where human rights could be breached.
The Government has vowed to porovide an additional £5m for "innovative technologies" and testing different ways to deliver face to face support for those seeking help.
HSK Solicitors
Bolton
01204 526 465