Responding to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee’s report “Ministry of Justice follow-up: Autumn 2025” published today, Liz Bayram, Chief Executive of AdviceUK said:
“We welcome the Public Accounts Committee’s report, which includes several recommendations AdviceUK has long campaigned for. Our members who provide legal aid services have repeatedly raised these concerns, and it is positive to see the Committee making clear not only what needs to change but the urgency with which these changes must happen. We urge the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to implement these recommendations to ensure that eligible people – especially those who are digitally excluded – can access the legal aid that they are entitled to and to secure the system’s long-term sustainability.
“We also call for independent advice to be recognised and funded as part of the UK’s essential justice infrastructure. Embedded in their communities, advice services are often the first and most trusted source of help for individuals, including marginalised groups who would otherwise remain excluded from the justice system.
“Finally, we welcome the Ministry of Justice’s £20 million funding announcement for the advice sector, which will go some way towards resourcing the vital advice services that can help people resolve their problems at an early stage, avoiding the need for courts and tribunals.”
