Press Releases pre-May 2010
Specialist Support Service and Community Legal Service Grants
03 April 2008
Specialist Support Services and Community Legal Service Grants, designed to improve access to justice, of almost £5m have been awarded by the Legal Services Commission (LSC).
Carolyn Regan, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission, said:
“These new Specialist Support Service and Community Legal Service Grants complement our strategy for the Community Legal Service and our wider objectives, of ensuring vulnerable clients have access to the advice services they need while obtaining better value for taxpayers money.”
The £2m Specialist Support Service provides support to legal aid advice providers through telephone advice and support with casework. Contracts to provide Specialist Support Services were awarded to:
| Category of Law | England | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Community Care | Public Law Solicitors | Public Law Solicitors |
| Debt | Citizens Advice | Citizens Advice |
| Employment | Citizens Advice | Citizens Advice |
| Housing | Shelter | Retendering |
| Mental Health | Scott-Moncrieff | Scott-Moncrieff |
| Public Law | The Public Law Project | The Public Law Project |
| Welfare Benefits | Child Poverty Action Group | London Advice Services Alliance |
The LSC is also inviting organisations interested in providing Specialist Support Services for housing advice in Wales and immigration advice in England and Wales to bid for this work.
Community Legal Service Grants, which are an effective way of funding complementary services that cannot be funded from other sources, have been increased from £900,000 a year and will total almost £3m over a three-year period.
Three existing grant holders; the Law Centres Federation, Advice Services Alliance and the Royal Courts of Justice CAB will continue to receive funding at the same level as they previously did. While a fourth existing grant holder LawWorks will get a phased reduction in funding, allowing them time to find alternative sources of funding for the future. Five new grant holders are being established.
Grants have been awarded to the following organisations:
| Organisation | Grant Period | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| The Connie & Albert Taylor Charitable Trust | One off | To report on the feasibility of solicitors firms becoming incorporated as a 'Community Interest Company'. |
| LawWorks | 3 Years | To cover advice in pro bono clinics. |
| Royal Court of Justice CAB | 3 Years | To provide access to justice for unrepresented litigants. |
| Ben Hoare Bell | 2 Years | Education and outreach work on issues relating to BME women. |
| Disability Law Service | 3 Years | Three distinct activities to meet particular needs: complementing DLS, legal access worker, part time development worker. |
| Advice Services Alliance | 3 Years | Help ensure NfP sector continues to contribute to development of CLS and provide high quality services to vulnerable clients. |
| Public Law Project | 3 Years | Tackling localised systemic illegality or maladministration by public authorities. |
| Matrix Chambers | 3 Years | Redevelopment of on-line community to provide sharing, supporting and co-ordination between providers. |
| Law Centres Federation | 3 Years | Two-part project: Improving Access and Raising awareness. |
Media information
Daniel Kellingley 020 7759 0415
Notes to editors
- Further information for organisations interested in providing Specialist Support Services for housing advice in Wales and immigration advice in England and Wales can be found on the LSC website from Thursday 3 April.
- The tender for these Specialist Support Services opens on Thursday 3 April and will close on 12 noon 13 May 2008.
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Last updated: 03/04/2008