Tory raid on legal aid has seriously harmed justice for the disabled – as intended
Justice is blind – but there’s no justice for the blind here: Protesters argue against legal aid cuts.
This Site was among those who deplored the Tory plan to steal legal aid from poor and vulnerable people, including the disabled, from the start.
The new official figures show that I was right.
Back in 2013, I wrote:
“This vindictive government of millionaires intends to make it impossible for the poorest and most vulnerable in society to seek legal redress against cruel and unwarranted decisions that will withdraw from them the money they use to keep themselves a hairs-breadth away from destitution.
“It is a decision to attack the poor for the fun of it.”
I added: “We all thought the Tories would be left heartbroken after the Hunting Act took away their favourite extracurricular pastime. It seems they have found another blood sport to replace it.”
How right I was.
The extent to which savage government cuts have deprived disabled people of legal aid in disputes over their benefit payments is revealed today by new official figures that show a 99% decline since 2011.
The total number of disabled people granted legal aid in welfare cases has plummeted from 29,801 in 2011-12 to just 308 in 2016-17, cutting some of the most vulnerable people in society adrift without expert advice in often highly complex and distressing cases.
MPs and charities representing disabled people reacted furiously to the figures, released in a parliamentary answer, saying they bore out their worst fears at the time ministers announced the cuts several years ago.
They called on the government to speed up an ongoing review of the legal aid system and to end a Whitehall culture that, they say, too often views disabled people as easy targets for savings.
Source: Disabled people lose legal aid in 99% of benefits disputes | Society | The Guardian
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No wonder Cameron couldn’t remember what the Magna Carta was.
But if you commit a criminal offence you get legal aid automatically, even just for police interviews, as in the duty solicitor. Then access to the legal aid system far more easily.
Whereas the innocent have no access to the same help to defend themselves against the criminal actions of the DWP.
Really does make a mockery of the justice system
There was no rights or law, and lawyers and legal firms only pick cases up if it is of interest and benefit to them financially
Most lawyers are advised not to pick up cases involving disabled as too sensitive and reflects on firm is something goes wrong, and lawyers courts and judges practice the most blatant prejudices and discriminaion against disabled. They still are in Victoriana.
However, looking up, to add legal cases and costs onto a business firms insurance is just £27pa on top of the other liability insurance
I think, although they are not interested really and show no intelligence, if unions, solidarity momentum and organisations added insurance to their members fees and hire lawyers to look after their interests then it would be worth it to take class and collective actions
But they never do I raised it with unions I raised it with Unite I raised it with tenants unions. no bloody interest.
No Access to Law
£27 each, it wd be worth it.
and of course the court system is fixed and prejudiced against us. ITS FIXED!
THIS IS A FIXED GOVERNMENT, ESTABLISHMENT AND CORPORATE POLICY AND AGENDA.
KILL THE USELESS EATERS
AND EMPTY THE SOCIAL ACCOMULATED COFFERS.