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Housing legal aid ‘deserts’ revealed as more than half of councils in England left without provision
Housing legal aid “deserts” can now be found in more than half of all local authorities in England, leaving millions of vulnerable people cut off from accessing help, a new report has revealed.
According to research by legal intelligence company LexisNexis, there is a “worrying lack of provision” for housing legal aid across the country, with 12.5 million people currently without access to the vital service.
It comes at a time when demand for housing-related help is rising as the cost of living crisis piles more pressure on people paying rent or mortgages.
Government figures in May showed that the number of no-fault evictions issued in the first three months of this year was up 41% on the same period in 2020.
The analysis highlighted areas with the highest demand that are the most poorly served by legal aid. It classes the “deserts” as areas that have no legal aid providers per 1,000 legal housing incidents, such as a homelessness application.
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The problem is particularly acute in remote and rural areas, the analysis revealed, with the worst-affected regions being the East of England and the South East. Both of these areas have 22 “deserts” where residents are forced to make lengthy and expensive journeys to access help.
The South West has 15 areas with no provision per 1,000 incidents, and the East Midlands and the West Midlands both have 10. Among the bottom 15 locations for housing legal aid were Stratford-upon-Avon in the West Midlands, South Lakeland in Cumbria, Boston in Lincolnshire, Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, East Devon, Wyre Forest in Worcestershire and the Isle of Scilly.
The data reveals only a few areas with medium to high supply. The five best-served local authorities still have only 1.74 providers per 1,000 incidents.
Wide-ranging cuts to legal aid, introduced by the government in 2013, have dramatically reduced the number of housing-related cases eligible for financial support. Earlier this year, the government said it would add £10m every year to the housing legal aid budget that is available for tenants and leaseholders who are fighting evictions and repossessions.
James Harper, director for global legal at LexisNexis, said: “Millions of people around the country are reliant on the UK’s legal aid system, particularly to give them advice when they face possible eviction from their homes. Our research shows that during a time when many more people may be relying on this vital service, there is a worrying lack of provision in many parts of the country, meaning that many vulnerable people in society may not be able to access the legal advice they are entitled to.”
Jasmine Basran, head of policy and campaigns at homelessness charity Crisis, added: “Access to justice is a fundamental right that should be available to everyone in our society. Legal aid plays a significant role in this for people on low incomes where cost can be a barrier to justice.
“With rising rents and the cost of living pushing more people into homelessness, it is even more vital people get access to the advice and support they need.”
