Wakefield Council and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) will commission a new legal advice service for the citizens of Wakefield 

This joint initiative will take the form of a Community Legal Advice Service and will be only the fifth of its kind in the country.  The new service will combine social welfare services such as housing and debt advice with civil legal aid. 

Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Cohesion and Community Safety, Councillor Olivia Rowley said:  ‘This approach will present a much-needed gateway to the legal system which clients can access early in times of crisis, it can mean avoiding losing a home or having children taken into care.  Currently citizens can be  referred to other organisations depending on the advice required which can result in delays when trying to access a legal service,  this can add further stress to an already stressful situation. The council’s local knowledge plus the Legal Services Commission’s  expertise in funding legal advice will come together to mean better access to justice for people in Wakefield while ensuring best use of tax-payers money’’. 

This Service was launched in Hull in October last year and has been a resounding success helping over 1,500 people in the first three months since opening its doors. 

Julie Parkin, from the Legal Services Commission, said: “Creating Integrated Advice Services is part of the Legal Services Commission’s legal aid reform programme, which is about helping as many people as possible while controlling costs for the taxpayer.  By achieving best value for money and rebalancing the overall budget to provide more funding for civil work, we can continue to increase the numbers of people helped.” 

Research has shown that people commonly have several related problems and that there is a clear need for access to a range of advice through one entry point.  This is how the new Community Legal Advice Service will operate.  Research has also shown that more than 50 percent of civil legal problems lead to adverse outcomes for individuals like ill-health, unemployment and homelessness.  Helping people resolve their problems before crisis point not only reduces personal tragedy but also mitigates costs to other public services. 

The new Service will provide clients with a full range of legal services from basic advice to specialist representation in the highest courts to resolve all of their civil legal problems.  Following a consultation with interested parties, a tender process will be held to find the best advice providers to run the service.   

Julie Parkin added: “The LSC helps vulnerable people, and our work is fundamental to social and legal justice.  We work with skilled and quality-assured advice providers to enable people to get the help they need, when they need it.’’ 

For further details including how you can have your say about the new Service, please contact Mark Cranmer on 01924 306962 or email  communitylegaladvice@wakefield.gov.uk 

Notes to Editor:

Contact Information:  S SADIO

Telephone: 01924 305258

Email:  ssadio@wakefield.gov.uk

The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is the organisation that safeguards legal aid for England and Wales.  More information about the Legal Services Commission can be found at www.legalservices.gov.uk