Responding to the Autumn Statement, Chair of the Bar Mark Fenhalls KC said:
“While the Chancellor rightly recognises health and education as vital public services to be adequately funded, it is a mistake not to see justice in the same light. The cost of living crisis means those most in need are now even more likely to require access to justice for help with housing, employment, debt and other essential legal issues.
“The justice sector was one of the hardest hit by austerity cuts a decade ago and was only just beginning to rebuild. This real terms cut to justice funding could put us back at square one and that would be devastating for those most in need.”
Earlier this week the Bar Council launched a new report ‘Access denied: The state of the justice system in England and Wales in 2022’ and called on the Government not to make funding cuts to the justice system in the Autumn Statement. Read our press release and report for more detail.