LSA Response to the Legal Aid Inquiry

Legal Services Agency (LSA) recently contributed to an important Call for Views by the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee for the Inquiry into Civil Legal Aid in Scotland.

The Call for Views is part of a new inquiry which aims to explore what is and is not working within the current legal aid system. It also aims to find out what changes could be made to the system in the short and long term to improve access to civil legal assistance.

As a law centre offering legal aid services, Legal Services Agency welcomes the committee’s focus on increasing access to civil legal aid. LSA’s vision is of a fairer society where every person, regardless of their circumstances, can understand and exercise their rights with dignity and respect. To realise this vision, it is vital that everyone – regardless of their financial circumstances – has access to a solicitor when they need one.

In a detailed response, LSA outlined key barriers to accessing civil legal assistance in Scotland, suggesting various short-term improvements that could be made. We provided our views on the use of grant funding to address specific areas of need in legal services, discussing what a reformed grant funding model should look like. We also discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the Evans Review and explained what our long-term priorities for reform would be.

Overall, the legal aid process in Scotland presents both opportunities and challenges. While the system is designed to support individuals in accessing justice, practical issues—such as navigating complex guidance, securing adequate practitioner support, and managing financial assessments—must be addressed to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of legal aid.

We are pleased to have contributed to the Inquiry’s investigation and look forward to the publication of its findings. To read our full response to the Scottish Parliament’s Call for Views for the Inquiry into Civil Legal Aid in Scotland, please click here.

LSA also contributed to the Scottish Association of Law Centres (SALC)’s response to this Call for Views. To read SALC’s response, please click here.