Housing Justice Campaign
Fighting for the right of the most vulnerable in society to access their housing rights.
For the most vulnerable – the poor, the homeless, the disabled and the disadvantaged – asserting their entitlement not to be arbitrarily evicted, to live in a decent home or to be provided with accommodation when there is nowhere else to turn to, depends on knowing what their rights are and how to assert them. Invariably that means having access to a housing lawyer or advisor and, in many cases, having help – whether from a solicitor or barrister – presenting their case in court.
Those cases are funded through legal aid, which covers advice, assistance and representation in court. In October 2007 the Government proposes to change the payment structures for legal aid, introducing national fixed fees – per case - for the provision of advice to clients that are significantly below the average cost of providing such advice.
Notwithstanding the government’s stated aim of tackling social exclusion, the current funding proposals are likely to result in many solicitors – particularly housing solicitors - opting out of the legal aid scheme, leaving many vulnerable people unable to access the rights to which they are entitled.
HLPA's aim is to persuade the government to listen to the near universal criticism of its proposed legal aid reforms and to abandon them and replace them with a fee system that will ensure that the vulnerable can continue to get access to their housing rights.