Recommendation 3

We are not satisfied that MoJ and the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) are doing enough to ensure that people eligible for legal aid can access it, particularly those who are digitally excluded. This Committee previously raised concerns that LAA’s reliance on remote advice in areas of the country which lack face-to-face provision of legal aid risks disproportionately penalising those who are digitally excluded (estimated to be around 24% of the population), and who are often most in need of legal assistance. For example, individuals with disabilities or those living in poverty. Significant gaps in face-to-face legal provision still exist in areas of the country, in particular for housing and debt advice. LAA has begun to explore what it can do to remove barriers to providers meeting with clients face-to-face. For example, it is looking at how it could adjust the terms of its contracts to make this easier. However, we were disappointed that MoJ and LAA could not demonstrate an improved understanding of whether those who are digitally excluded are able to access help. recommendation In its Treasury Minute response, the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency should set out: • outside of exploring changes to contracts, how it plans to better monitor whether digitally excluded individuals can access legal aid. • what it is doing to close gaps in provision in areas where legal aid deserts still exist. 4