People forced to navigate courts alone after legal aid cuts, campaigners warn

The service offers publicly-funded support for people who cannot afford lawyers, but the Government reduced the types of cases eligible for the assistance to make savings in 2012.

Now, nearly half a billion pounds less is spent on contracts across England and Wales each year, including more than £10m in Leeds, analysis by the BBC Shared Data Unit shows.

Richard Miller, head of justice at the Law Society, said a shortage in solicitors taking legal aid housing cases was proving a particular concern.

He said: “The shortage in legal aid advice for housing means that people on low incomes facing homelessness and eviction are struggling to get the local face-to-face advice they desperately need and are entitled to by law.”

Richard Burgon, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, said cuts to legal aid “have deliberately weakened people’s ability to challenge injustices”.

The Leeds East MP said: “Cuts to publicly-funded legal support have left people unable to defend themselves against rogue landlords, tackle exploitation at work or the flawed benefits decisions that left them needing to use a food bank.”

The Government is currently undertaking a review of the changes, due to be published by the end of the year.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the Legal Aid Agency kept “availability under constant review and takes urgent action whenever it has concerns”, adding: “There are enough solicitors and barristers for criminal legal aid-funded cases across England and Wales and people can access legal aid advice via telephone for family, housing, and other issues for which legal aid is available as well as face to face.”