We have a large number of established access to justice (A2J) projects, as well as two or three in development at any one time.
We provide consultancy support and take on commissions on matters that interest us. Because we are both an advice body and access to justice lab, we are able to develop policy responses which are directly based on lived experiences.
The following are a snapshot from some of our papers…
Our work focus is on the most vulnerable, and a great deal of our casework is on behalf of people who have complex health and social needs. It is therefore important to us that technology we use does not add to barriers that they face. We embrace the use of new technology but in a way that is very mindful of the realities of peoples’ lives. Our view on the use of technology is to use it to provide access to specialist lawyers, rather than in lieu of it.
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Nearly all social landlords include details of the National Housing Federation home contents insurance scheme at sign-up when a new tenant takes on one of their properties, and yet most social landlords report less than 5% of their tenants have joined the scheme. This approach is clearly not working. Social landlords really need to review their approach here. In reviewing what they are doing, there is also an opportunity to completely change the way key stakeholders engage with the insurance/finance industry on behalf of some of the most vulnerable in society.
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If sister advice centres support identified staff members from their local community to become solicitors through an apprenticeship scheme funded by donated apprenticeship levy, it will send an important positive message to all their employees, whilst at the same time dealing with a developing skills crisis and changing the offer they are able to make concerning social welfare advice to the local community.
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It is crystal clear that how systems are designed plays a pivotal role in access to services and access to justice. Deliberate decisions about ‘bad’ design are at the heart of this. ‘Digital Only’ is the most obvious of these with Universal Credit its bastard poster child.
Please contact Eddie Coppinger at eddie@legaladvicecentre.london
