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<p>Early legal advice is available for all legal cases within the scope of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), subject to an assessment of means and merits. These cases fall within the category of “Legal Help”.</p><p> </p><p>We analysed trends in access to Legal Help as part of the Post-Implementation Review (PIR) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) which was published in February 2019. A copy of the PIR is available via:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777038/post-implementation-review-of-part-1-of-laspo.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777038/post-implementation-review-of-part-1-of-laspo.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>Alongside the LASPO PIR, we also published a Legal Support Action Plan which recognised the importance of early legal advice and need for more evidence in this area. We announced a number of initiatives and pilots to do this, including the expansion of early legal advice in a specific area of social welfare law, and launching a campaign to raise awareness of legal support, including legal aid. A copy of the Action Plan is available via:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777036/legal-support-the-way-ahead.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777036/legal-support-the-way-ahead.pdf</a></p> |