Legal Aid was introduced to help people on a limited budget who meet the eligibility requirements to gain access to the courts. It was set up in 1949 to help people who would otherwise not be able to afford it to get a fair hearing and resolve problems.
In June 2011 the Ministry of Justice announced cutbacks in Legal Aid. These included removeing Legal Aid from Clinical Negligence cases, effectively preventing some of the most needy and deserving victims from getting the justice and financial help that they deserve.
Despite attempts from Sound of for Justice and other similar groups to stop cutback the act will come into forse in April 2013. Legal Aid will continue for anyone who has already been granted a certificate but no further new applications will be accepted after this date.
Julie Grayston says " if you think you have a claim contact us as soon as possible. We will help you to find out if you have a valid claim and whether you qualify for Legal Aid before time runs out".
