Access to justice, including access to lawyers, remains uneven across England and Wales.
Our most recent Individual Legal Needs Survey (ILNS), which polled over 12,000 adults, shows that some groups face greater barriers than others.
What do we mean by “low access”?
In this research, low access reflects a combination of factors. People with low access are less likely to know where to get help, less able to secure professional support, and more likely to disengage when they encounter obstacles such as cost, complexity, or uncertainty.
Who faces the biggest barriers?
People with disabilities
People whose daily activities are greatly limited are 11% more likely struggle to get legal help, often due to practical barriers, such as limitations in building accessibility.
People on lower incomes
Those earning under £32,000 are more likely to report low access to justice, often driven by affordability concerns, uncertainty about costs, and difficulty finding affordable or suitable help.
Men and older adults
Men are slightly more likely to report barriers to legal help, while access to lawyers also tended to decline with age. In some cases, this reflects people believing they can handle problems alone or being less willing to engage with legal services.
Confidence and knowledge matter
One of the strongest drivers of low access to lawyers and justice is not knowing where to find reliable legal information.
People who lack information are far more likely to distrust the legal system and far less likely to seek or secure help. This helps explain why low access to lawyers is closely linked to low legal confidence and unmet legal need.
When help is needed most
People who have difficulty getting legal help are more likely to experience legal problems in areas such as:
- employment and finance
- housing
- consumer issues
- personal injury
They are also more likely to try and fail to get help from a solicitor, or to end up with no help at all. Cost, difficulty navigating the system, and being unable to find someone willing to help are common reasons people stop trying.
Poor access leads to poorer outcomes
Compared with others, people with low access to lawyers and justice are:
- less satisfied with the outcome of their issue
- more likely to feel the result was unfair
- more likely to find the process difficult or overwhelming
Poor access reinforces cycles of unmet legal need, making problems harder to resolve and more damaging over time.
What needs to change?
The ILNS shows that gaps in access are concentrated among disabled people, those on low incomes, older adults, and men. But demographics alone do not explain the problem.
Improving access to justice requires more than increasing supply. People need clearer routes to information, greater confidence in navigating legal processes, and fewer practical barriers when seeking help.
To explore this in more detail, you can read the full Individual Legal Needs Survey report.
If you are interested in this research or would like to discuss how it can be used, contact the LSB Research team at research@legalservicesboard.org.uk
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