Advice outlets increase as recession spurs growing demand for civil legal aid north of the Border

Published on Sunday 6 June 2010 23:08

APPLICATIONS for civil legal aid increased by almost a quarter over the last year to 22,000 – the highest number in a decade, according to statistics from the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

The increase, which comes after a 12 per cent rise last year, was accompanied by a 5 per cent increase in the number of civil advice and assistance cases, which rose to 95,000

The news comes days after Andrew Alexander, the Law Society of Scotland's legal aid co-ordinator warned that the impending legal aid cut in England and Wales could be replicated in Scotland.

The statistics show that family cases on legal aid increased by almost 3,000, or 27 per cent, to more than 13,600. Cases involving debt increased by 29 per cent, and mortgage cases by 33 per cent.

Lindsay Montgomery, chief executive of the Scottish Legal Aid Board, said: "It is clear that solicitors have responded to the larger number of people needing help during the recession as financial and other pressures increase on families.

"This substantial increase in applications has been very challenging for the board. However, we have managed to achieve our performance targets without any increase to our administrative budget."

As well as the rise in case applications, the number of outlets offering legal aid help rose, with 659 such bodies in place at the end of 2008-9.

The vast majority of outlets were in private practice or law centres.

Meanwhile, a survey of legal-aid applicants showed that 84 per cent were satisfied with the legal aid system. Only 3 per cent were dissatisfied.

Mr Montgomery said: "There is a large and committed network of solicitors working on civil legal aid cases. Most communities have access to quality-assured, local legal aid solicitors covering a wide range of areas of law. In most areas, firms are doing more civil legal aid work than before, which is very encouraging."

He praised the work of Civil Legal Assistance Offices, which are, he claimed, improving access to justice in Scotland.

"The CLAOs bolster local legal-assistance provision, complementing but not competing with private practice firms," he said. "There is joint working, with referral of clients between the two, so improving access to assistance."