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Unite hosts rally to combat onslaught to the legal advice system

10 September 2010

Unite, the largest union in the country, is hosting a meeting tomorrow (Saturday
11 September) to rally support against the coalition’s onslaught on the legal advice system that helps thousands of vulnerable people.

Organisations, such as Citizens Advice and the Law Centres Federation, have been invited to the Justice for All campaign rally to be held at Unite’s Holborn headquarters in London.

Rachael Maskell, national officer, community and not for profit sector, said: ”As the economic crisis continues and is likely to get much worse with next month’s comprehensive spending review, more and more people will require legal advice to deal with problems, such as debt and employment issues.

”Tomorrow’s meeting is a rallying call for the legal and advice sectors to thrash out a strategy to combat the pernicious assault by the coalition on some of the most vulnerable in society. We estimate that 2.3 million people haven’t been able to get help for a civil justice problem.

”The number of solicitors’ firms providing free legal help has plummeted – the number of firms providing free legal advice on family problems has halved in the last year. Changes to the funding system mean legal advisers spend more time on bureaucracy.

”The total budget for legal aid is capped. Over the past decade, funding for civil legal aid has decreased by 24 per cent in real terms. The government plans to decrease funding for legal aid for housing, education, welfare, jobs, mental health and community care.”

Unite deplored the recent demise of Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) that collapsed as a result of cash flow problems created by late payments of legal aid by the Legal Services Commission (LSC).

ENDS

Notes to news editors:

Journalists are warmly invited to attend this event which is being held at Unite House, 128 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8TN between 11.00am and 12.30pm on Saturday, 11 September.

For further information, please ring: Rachael Maskell, national officer, community and not for profit sector on 020 7420 8979 or 07768 693933 or Shaun Noble, communications officer (third sector) on 020 7420 8951