The Law Society of England and Wales has published its
recommendations from the 21stCentury Justice project
that offer a powerful vision for change to help narrow the
justice gap.
Justice affects all of us whether we are renters or homeowners,
workers or small business owners, making a will or getting
divorced. We all have to deal with at least one legal issue in
our lifetime, yet millions face an uphill struggle to access
justice.
Research by the Law Society shows that only one in six (16%)
adults believe the justice system treats everyone equally. Access
to justice has been impacted as legal aid deserts have left nine
in 10 (90%) people in the UK without local support in some areas
of law. Outdated systems mean that only around a quarter (23%) of
county court cases are fully digitised, causing delays.
The justice system is an essential public service just like the
NHS and education. The 21stCentury Justice report
makes recommendations to the government and the legal sector to
build a civil justice system that works for everyone:
-
Create a free AI-powered tool, like NHS 111, that helps
people understand their legal issue and signposts them to the
help they need. This new government-backed tool could
save the system around £72 million over 5 years. More than half
(53%) of those who had a legal issue people looked online for
information to manage their legal issue, up 4% since
2019.
-
Fix legal aid before all skilled providers completely
disappear. The government must increase legal aid fees
in line with inflation and create an independent body that
regularly reviews them. A new model of trust needs to be
developed between the government and legal aid providers. The
recent cyberattack on the Legal Aid Agency is proof of the need
to modernise it and improve access to justice. Legal aid is a
lifeline for many, with 89% of adults saying it is important
for people who cannot afford legal services.
-
Reform access to the ombudsman system.
Currently there are too many ombudsman services, which can
create confusion for people trying to access the right service.
The government should rationalise the ombudsman landscape and
boost their powers to support better access to justice.
Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and
Wales, said:
“The justice system is a public service, just like health and
education. 21st century justice should work for
everyone, regardless of their background or means. Whether it's
fighting eviction, tackling workplace discrimination or dealing
with family breakdown, people need legal help they can trust.
“The government and the legal sector must act on the
recommendations of the 21st Century Justice report and
improve access to legal support. The project unites voices across
sectors to put forward proposals such as an AI consumer tool,
investment in legal aid and ombudsman reform.
“A justice system that works well is a measure of progress and
prosperity that affects all of us. Our report puts forward
practical solutions to achieve a vision for redefining a fair
justice system that works for the common good.”
Notes to editors
- The 21st Century Justice final report can be found
here.
- All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov
Plc. Total sample size was 2,580 adults. Fieldwork was
undertaken between 15th - 16th January 2025. The survey was
carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are
representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
- Legal Needs Survey 2023 datasets, Law Society, Legal Services
Board, YouGov.
