The government must ensure enough investment to cope with the projected demand in inquest cases, the Law Society has said. Responding to a Ministry of Justice consultation seeking views on changes to fee scheme arrangements for legal aid in relation to inquests, the Society said:
Extending non-means tested legal aid to bereaved families is welcome, as it will ensure fairer access to representation at inquests involving public authorities.
Simplifying the fee system is a positive step, but the proposed rates are too low to be sustainable and will fail to attract new legal aid providers or enable existing providers to expand to meet demand.
Demand for inquest legal aid is set to surge, with cases expected to rise from a few hundred each year to around 11,000, creating an urgent need for significant expansion in provider capacity.
Subscribe to insights today Sign up now!