Woman's divorce case was turned down by 116 legal aid lawyers

[SerendipityJane]

Just wondering how many men would have 116 legal aid lawyers turn them down

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpdx5qjyw25o

Lochaber Women's Aid in Fort William says it's common for local survivors of domestic abuse to have difficulty securing civil legal aid.
The agency's deputy manager Donna Campbell said: "Some of them are being told they'll have to represent themselves in family court.

That's terrible 😕

I think if you have been following the news with the level of cuts in recent years (decades) virtually nobody can get legal aid solicitors any more.

Although no doubt in this frantic scrabble for help women will be sharp elbowed out of the meagre resource.

It has also been 28 years since the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) last increased legal aid fees for civil aid cases.

The report is clear: current legal aid provisions are not sustainable and there is a lack of access to justice for those who need it.

Some of the key findings are:

• in real terms, government spending on legal aid fell by £728 million (28%) between 2012/13 and 2022/23
• in 40% of family dispute cases between January and March 2023, neither the applicant or respondent had legal representation, a 26% increase on the same period 10 years earlier
• there has been a 9% decrease in the proportion of people in England and Wales who are within 10 kilometres of a legal aid housing providers

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/legal-aid/national-audit-office-report-shows-legal-aid-on-its-knees