05/07/2011
With Winifred Robinson. Saving money or denying access to justice? How will government plans to cut legal aid affect you? Can you afford to pay lawyers fees without state help?
Saving money or denying access to justice? How will you be affected by the government's planned cuts to legal aid in England and Wales? The government wants to reduce the current 拢2.1 billion legal aid bill by 拢350 million by 2015. It's planning to scrap financial help for civil cases including those involving welfare benefits, employment, clinical negligence, complaints against the police, education, private family law, most immigration cases and some debt and housing issues. Critics say society's most vulnerable will lose out because they can't afford to pay for their own legal costs. The government argues the reforms will target those who need it most and provide value for money for taxpayers. So who's right?
Call You and Yours with Winifred Robinson. Your chance to share your views on the programme. Email youandyours@bbc.co.uk, text 84844 and we may call you back or call 03700 100 444 (lines open at 10am Tuesday).