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Poverty, Welfare Reforms and Advice Services London for All - London Voluntary Sector Forum Spring conference 2014 Wesl

Poverty, Welfare Reforms and Advice Services London for All - London Voluntary Sector Forum Spring conference 2014 Wesley Harcourt. Cuts to Advice Services. Legal Aid cuts – LASPO MOJ says £89m lost from Social Welfare law advice or 238,820 cases Cuts to immigration services

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Poverty, Welfare Reforms and Advice Services London for All - London Voluntary Sector Forum Spring conference 2014 Wesl

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  1. Poverty, Welfare Reforms and Advice Services London for All - London Voluntary Sector Forum Spring conference 2014 Wesley Harcourt

  2. Cuts to Advice Services • Legal Aid cuts – LASPO • MOJ says £89m lost from Social Welfare law advice or 238,820 cases • Cuts to immigration services • No longer in scope for legal aid – LAs refusing to fund immigration advice • Local authority Cuts • Cabinet office predicts that £220m for the advice sector in 2010/11 will fall to £160m in 2015/16 • EHRC – no longer funding advice services • London Councils Grants Scheme • Cut from £27m reduced to £9.4m in current round • RBK&C – sector has lost 30% of its funding

  3. Unprecedented demand for advice • Civil Legal Advice - 300% increase in debt referrals • Toynbee Hall running at 20% above target • 78% AdviceUK members report 10%+ increase • Shelter – 40% increase in calls last year (80% over last three years) • Citizens Advice reports 18% increase in demand

  4. Drivers of increased demand • Welfare reforms: • UC, PIP, ESA, Bedroom Tax, Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit cap, Welfare Benefits cap • System failure – Nottingham 30% of demand is due to system failure • 35% of Welfare Benefit Appeals are successful • ESA appeals - about 50% success rate • Fitness for work assessments – 39% success

  5. Drivers for increased demand • Sutton CAB saw demand for welfare benefits advice treble in last three years • Austerity measures • Cuts in grants to local authorities • Average cuts from Government 2.9% in 2014 • Debt issues • MAS says 9m in serious debt • People on low pay highest for 30 years

  6. The Low Commission Set up in 2012 – 6 key recommendations: • Public legal Education • Reduce preventable demand – polluter pays • Courts and Tribunals • National Strategy for Advice & Legal Support • Local Advice and Legal Support plans • National Advice and legal Support Fund

  7. Campaigns for advice • Justice 4 all campaign • Coalition of legal and advice agencies, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, trade unions, politicians and members of the public • Petitions, day of action, demonstrations • London Councils grants scheme – consultation 2009 and 2011 • Demonstration • Letters to grants committee/leaders committee • On line petition • Legal challenge

  8. Influencing Funders • LVSC developing a co-ordinated funding strategy for London • AdviceUK meeting with Director of London Funders • Sector meetings with Cabinet Office • BAN invited Big Lottery to attend its last network meeting • Regular contact with funders

  9. Contacting MPs and Councillors • MP’s details are on the Parliament website: www.parliament.uk or 020 7219 4272 • Respond to Government consultations • Lobbying MPs • Petitions to the House of Commons • Local Councillors’ details on council website • Attend their advice surgeries • Elections coming up…

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