Increasing Legal Aid provision in Wales

If you are using this scheme to provide awards of subsidy, you must inform the Subsidy Control Unit – email: scu@gov.wales

All Wales

Increasing Legal Aid Provision in Wales

Section 60(1) of the Government of Wales Act 2006

This scheme supports the Welsh Government’s aim for Wales to be a Nation of Sanctuary and aligns with the Programme of Government aim to protect, rebuild and develop services for vulnerable people and the commitment to fully implement the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (which includes a Nation of Sanctuary chapter).

The Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan commits to ensure the provision of immigration legal advice in Wales.

The proposal also supports the Welsh Government’s aims in relation to equality and human rights and the fulfilment of its legal duties in this area, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, by enabling the Welsh Government and others to monitor and improve the integration of migrants in our communities.

Wales is severely disadvantaged, in comparison to other parts of the UK, in terms of legal immigration provision (especially free provision).

Given that many individuals who access legal advice services are destitute / or in difficult positions with lack of status it would not be viable for them to travel many miles away to access services, many also face language and technological barriers. There is a cumulative impact of all this is e.g. deleterious mental and physical health outcomes or a greater period of time during which the asylum seeker is required to rely on state support rather than seek self-sufficiency through gainful employment, all of which could argue that this increased burden on limited state resources would more than offset the minimal amount of funding being awarded.

The funding we are providing will bolster and increase capacity for the free advice service the Asylum Justice already offer (which is currently inundated due to the recent UK Gov decisions in this area).

The funding for Eastgate Chambers will reduce the administrative burden legal aid cases on the legal advisors. This will allow them to take on additional legal aid cases. The training and work-placements offered by Newfields Law will help attract students into the field of immigration law in the hope provision will increase in the future to meet demand.

Welsh Government

Immigration Legal Advisors

Administrative and support service activities.

12 June 2024 to 31 August 2026

£141,600

All subsidy awarded under the scheme will be awarded by way of grants.

An organisation must work within the Immigration Law Sector within Wales.

Each organisation has provided their aims for the funding period and a full breakdown of costs needed to meet their objectives. These will be monitored on a quarterly basis by policy officials.

£61,500