Access to justice is a fundamental right, yet two thirds of the UK population do not know how to get legal advice. Everyday countless individuals face legal challenges related to housing, employment, immigration and more, and find themselves without legal representation and unable to advocate effectively for their rights.
The Access to Justice Foundation is committed to sustaining, improving and increasing the availability of quality free legal advice to marginalised individuals and communities.
We are starting 2025 with over £39 million in grants going to 120 organisations offering free legal advice, increasing the availability of advice in the most marginalised communities across the UK.
These grants have a hugely positive impact on the communities that our funded partner organisations serve.
| Jim’s story
Jim is a single father, living in temporary accommodation with his two children having escaped domestic violence. The council incorrectly held he was refusing housing assistance, so issued Jim an eviction notice. One of our funded partners, Coventry Citizens Advice, walked Jim through the review process, and supported his search for housing, benefits, and counselling. Now Jim understands his housing rights and can confidently look for a more appropriate long-term property. |
Much of our work focuses on sharing best practice and celebrating what is being achieved at the frontline, through our networks.
Our work changes lives now and develops a robust evidence base for the future.
Our vision is a society where everyone has access to justice. Will you help us to achieve that vision?
There are plenty of ways that you, whether an individual or a law firm, can be part of the picture, and bridge the gap that vulnerable communities face when attempting to access justice:
- Donate your firm’s residual client balances – see below.
- Advance the use of Pro Bono Costs Orders – see below.
- Take part in, sponsor, and organise a fundraising event or Legal Walk.
- Host us at your events, conferences, and publications.
- Advocate for our work.
- Individual or legacy giving.
Legal Services Board and the Access to Justice Foundation
The substantial economic benefits of investing in free legal advice services and the significant savings it could generate for the public purse were highlighted in our recently published ‘Value of Justice For All’ Report, in collaboration with the Bar Council.
The report suggests that the Treasury could save up to £12 billion over the next ten years by investing in the provision of specialist free legal advice. This includes over £4 billion in the first year alone and more than £9 billion within four years.
For every £1 spent on free specialist legal advice and its outcomes in 2023, the government saved £2.71.
The report reflects the issues that the Legal Services Board is seeking to address in its ten-year strategy, namely the importance of reshaping legal services to better meet society’s needs, and provide fairer outcomes to people experiencing greater disadvantage.
It is by working in collaboration with organisations like the Legal Services Board that bring us one step closer to achieving equitable access to justice nationwide. We are working with the LSB on its aim to identify where and how regulation can improve access to justice and look forward to attending the Reshaping Legal Services Conference in March 2025!
| Leanne’s story
Leanne, a single mother of two, was living in squalor in a rurally isolated area, in rented accommodation that she could not afford to heat. Her ex-partner was collecting her Universal Credit payments, and Leanne was running up significant rent arrears. With the help of one of our funded partners, Cumbria Law Centre, Leanne’s benefits were reinstated (including back pay, which she used to pay off her credit card debt). She was supported in applying for a property closer to her children’s school and has leveraged ongoing support from the City Council and Adult Social Services. |
Residual client balances
You know they are there. You know you need to do something about them. But you are not quite sure where to start.
With The Access to Justice Foundation, you can donate dormant client funds in an SRA-compliant way knowing that we will use it to support communities that face the highest barriers to accessing justice by giving grants to free legal advice organisations nationwide.
We also provide written indemnities for your firm in the event that a client returns.
By donating residual client balances, firms can keep their accounts compliant and ensure dormant funds can be fed back into the legal advice system, helping to change the lives of many vulnerable individuals seeking advice.
You can learn more about the process of donating your residual client balances here, or you can email clientbalances@atjf.org.uk and we will be more than happy to walk you through the process.
Pro Bono Costs Orders
The Access to Justice Foundation is the statutory recipient of all Pro Bono Costs Orders, which help level the litigation playing field, by ensuring that there are equal adverse costs risks for all parties. This encourages reasonable litigation conduct and settlement. Like residual client balances, successful pro bono costs applications provide vital funding for future free legal help.
You can learn more about Pro Bono Costs Orders here.
If you would like further information or to learn more about supporting the Foundation’s regional/national fundraising and grant making activities, visit our webpage or get in touch with: Charlotte Duthie, Development Officer, The Access to Justice Foundation, charlotteduthie@atjf.org.uk
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