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The Role of the Legal Aid Agency
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is a government body in England and Wales responsible for commissioning and administering legal aid services. It ensures that individuals who qualify for legal aid have access to legal advice, assistance, and representation in both civil and criminal matters. The LAA aims to provide fair, prompt, and effective access to justice, particularly for vulnerable individuals, while also ensuring value for money for taxpayers. (Google Search AI Information)
Advice Deserts
For more information see Rightsnet
When I first qualified in 1991 Legal Aid was administered or had just finished being administered by the Law Society. Then it was changed to the Legal Aid Board followed by the Legal Services Commission and most recently the Legal Aid Agency.
Chief Executive – Jane Harbottle
Attempts To Meet The Need for Legal Services in Housing Law
County Court Duty Rota System
Almost entirely unpublicised.
Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS)
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) funds the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS) throughout England and Wales to provide:
- Early Legal Advice to anyone at risk of possession proceedings and loss of their home – advice can be provided in relation to Housing, Debt and Welfare Benefits issues
- In Court Duty on the day emergency advice and advocacy to anyone facing possession proceedings
The service enables anyone at risk of losing their home or facing possession proceedings to get free legal advice, and representation in court, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Any individual who has evidence of a risk of possession proceedings; loss of their home or illegal eviction may be given early legal advice in the areas of Housing, Debt and Welfare Benefits, as set out in Section 2.1 of this guidance.
Any individual, who meets the requirements for HLPAS Early legal advice, can be given advice without an assessment of their financial circumstances as HLPAS is a non-means tested service.
A list of providers who can deliver Housing Loss Prevention Advice Services from the 1st August 2023 is available in the ‘Documents’ section above. This list will be updated as further provider contracts commence. – Housing Loss Prevention Service Provider List