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The government must take an active role to plug gaps in legal aid provision.

Recommendation
The government must take an active role to plug gaps in legal aid provision. The Lord Chancellor should use their powers under section 2(2) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 to either direct grants to providers in areas with excess demand, or increase delegated authority to the Legal Aid Agency to provide contractual incentives for providers in underserved areas. (Recommendation, Paragraph 115)
Addressee Bodies
Ministry of Justice
Timeline
Report published 17 Jul 2026