Ex-minister says cuts went too far, as Guardian investigation shows wide-ranging impact
Deep cuts to legal aid have inflicted such disarray in family courts that parents are abandoning efforts to maintain contact with their children, the Guardian has been told, while one of the main architects of the austerity measures has admitted they are “draconian”.
Protracted austerity since 2012 has reduced funding by about £950m a year in real terms, causing an alarming rise in the number of people forced to represent themselves.
Related: How legal aid cuts filled family courts with bewildered litigants
What are the legal aid cuts affecting England and Wales?
Swamped the family courts with unrepresented litigants, discouraging many from continuing with proceedings. The number of people accessing legal aid in family matters has fallen 88% in seven years.
Exposed more victims of domestic violence to cross-examination by ex-partners.
Prevented hundreds of thousands of people from pursuing justice in other areas such as housing, debt, employment, clinical negligence, immigration, welfare payments and education.
Failed to update financial eligibility thresholds, which lawyers say has resulted in few defendants in work being able to claim legal aid in criminal cases and consequently raised fears of miscarriages of justice.
Forced expert lawyers, deprived of funded work, to give up specialisms, creating “advice deserts”.
Related: Legal aid: how has it changed in 70 years?
Related: Strain of legal aid cuts shows in family, housing and immigration courts
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