Independent report counts cost of legal aid

A new report has found that government proposals to cut back on legal aid will result in millions of pounds in knock-on expenses.

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The report, from King’s College, London, entitled Unintended Consequences: the cost of the Government’s Legal Aid Reforms, says that the legal aid cuts were aimed at saving the government £240m but they will lead to other expenses calculated at £139m, thus wiping out almost 60% of the predicted savings. The report warns that that figure could actually underestimate the true costs.

The report, produced by Dr Graham Cookson on behalf of the Law Society, found that removing legal aid from the victims of clinical negligence would cost the NHS almost three times more than it saved, while taking it away from private family law would cost an estimated £100m a year.

Peter Walsh, chief executive of Action Against Medical Accidents, says the report shows that the government has failed to demonstrate that the new regime would lead to significant savings or that the potential savings would be a justification for the proposed changes.

The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill is currently before the House of Lords.

Source: https://www.newlawjournal.co.uk/content/hidden-cost-legal-aid-cuts