[Apologies for breaking our own editorial rules – this article is not Leeds specific. but given the pitiful state of legal Aid for Asylum in Yorkshire and Humber, this may provide good evidence for anyone seeking funding to provide legal services. We got it via NACCOM Jon, LASSN]
A new report has been published exploring the issues facing young legal aid practitioners, and the consequences these issues have on the wider sector and those who rely on it. The research presents some key findings regarding the sustainability of the immigration and asylum legal aid sector:
- 73% of survey respondents do unseen or unbillable work every working day.
- A majority of interviewees and survey respondents expressed a strong feeling that they were always working either at or beyond their capacity in the legal aid sector.
- Training and development was limited and supervisors were stretched with their own caseloads.
- 70% of survey respondents have experienced vicarious trauma or ‘burnout’ from their practice.
- The interaction of the legal aid regime with backlogs in Home Office decision-making was cited by many participants as one of the reasons it was difficult to make a legal aid practice financially sustainable.
- The primary obstacle for those with lived experience of trying to secure legal advice and representation was finding a legal aid provider to take them on, which could take many months.
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