Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 38
38
Online legal services should not be seen as a replacement for traditional face-to-face services, especially...
Recommendation
Online legal services should not be seen as a replacement for traditional face-to-face services, especially when such a high proportion of those who qualify for legal aid do not always have reliable access to digital technology. That said, we agree with a number of submissions that have suggested that there is a significant opportunity to use technology to both expand the capacity of providers and to extend the reach of legal aid providers to more people. The Government should support legal aid providers to upgrade their digital infrastructures. This should include helping smaller providers and Not-for- Profits procure the necessary hardware and case management software that could help them expand their capacity. The Government should also establish an Online Platform for Legal Advice, as suggested by JUSTICE, that is given prominence by HMCTS online that directs people to advice provided by legal aid providers. Expanding the availability and accessibility of online advice by legal aid providers, particularly at an early stage, could serve to both enhance existing face-to-face services and extend the reach of providers. The Government should support legal aid providers to upgrade their digital infrastructures. This should include helping smaller providers and Not-for- Profits procure the necessary hardware and case management software that could help them expand their capacity. The Government should also establish an Online Platform for Legal Advice, as suggested by JUSTICE, that is given prominence by HMCTS online that directs people to advice provided legal aid providers. (Paragraph 137) 72 The Future of Legal Aid Legal aid agency
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
As part of our commitment in the Legal Support Action Plan to better coordinate and signpost people to legal support, we have developed an online (guided pathway) signposting pilot intervention that provides people with support and signposting for housing disrepair problems. Through this pilot we hope to build up an evidence base of what works to help inform future policy decisions. The Ministry of Justice has collaborated with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUC) to develop this online intervention, and third sector advice organisations to validate it through feedback. User testing and engagement with the legal advice sector has ensured that users remain at the heart of its design. That is why the online intervention does more than signposting, it also offers tailored guidance and information about an individual’s rights and responsibilities, with the aim that users will be able to ‘self-serve’ to resolve their issues before they escalate. The housing disrepair tool is accessible via the ‘How to Rent’ guidance on the DLUC’s GOV. UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent, entitled ‘Check how to get repairs done in your rented home’. We will continue to explore the role technology can play in helping people identify and resolve their legal issues at the earliest possible opportunity. The Legal Aid Agency The Legal Aid Agency’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic