Amanda McSorley

By Amanda McSorley amandamcsorley

Lincoln is home to one of the most famous legal documents ever written – the Magna Carta.

There are actually four copies of the charter that became the cornerstone of constitutional law in the free world, including the American Constitution, but Lincoln’s copy is the one that travels all over the globe reminding people of the long road to establishing their rights and civil liberties.

It recently arrived back in the city ahead of another extensive tour to celebrate the 800th anniversary of its signing by King John and 25 barons at Runnymede on June 19, 1215. Though as that date approaches, some legal experts fear that one of the fundamental Magna Carta clauses still in force is being eroded by the Government’s bid to change the legal aid system in England and Wales – the right to justice.

Clause 40 of the Magna Carta states: “To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay, right or justice.”

Campaigners feel access to justice for many people has been severely curtailed by cuts to civil legal aid already in force and will be further compromised by the Transforming Legal Aid consultation that includes restrictions on vulnerable people who need help such as victims of domestic violence.

From April 1 this year, legal aid is no longer available for divorce, child contact, welfare, employment, clinical negligence and housing law except in limited circumstances to save £350million from a £2billion legal aid bill.

Under these changes Lincoln CAB lost Legal Aid support for two of its largest areas of enquiry, Welfare Benefits and Debt, just as more people needed help and their problems became more complicated.

Citizens Advice has been a key provider of legal aid advice since 1995 and has estimated that 7,500 people will no longer be able to get this help from East Midlands bureaux due to £1.4million of cuts.

Under Justice Minister Chris Grayling’s consultation, the Government is moving forward with its bid to save a further £220 million with new proposals including: competitive tendering for legal aid contracts which will be cut from 1,600 to 400; 17.5% cut on previous best payment rate for contracts; no legal aid for anyone over a financial threshold of £37,500 per household; residency testing; no legal aid for cases with a less than 50% chance of success and removal of fee payments for Judicial Reviews.

The Citizens Advice Access to Justice Campaign aims to change the course of the Consultation through lobbying MPs and Ministers. It is asking the Government not to take further action until the Joint Committee on Human Rights has assessed the legality of its proposals.

The campaign seeks to ensure: ordinary people are able to challenge unjust decisions taken by Government agencies; red tape does not stop people who should be entitled to legal aid from getting it and anyone using legal services receives a quality service that meets their individual needs.

Lincoln CAB can offer help on a wide range of legal issues including establishing whether you would qualify for legal aid and what action you can take if you do not. Visit Adviceguide.org.uk or Lincolncab.org.uk.

Amanda McSorley joined the Research and Campaigns Team at Lincoln and District Citizens Advice Bureau in February 2013. She is a former journalist and newspaper editor, with 30 years’ experience of covering the issues that impact people’s lives.

By Amanda McSorley amandamcsorley

Did you know that people are more likely to change their partner than their bank? This may come as a surprise to the many people who see the banking industry as public enemy number one, but have you ever thought how your life would work if you did not have a bank account? How would your salary or wages be paid? What about rent, a mortgage or paying the bills?

In the modern world you could, technically, almost cease to exist, but access to even the most basic bank accounts is denied to a large number of people and Citizens Advice fear this problem could get worse.

Every year, advisers see people who either cannot get access to an account at all or who face restrictions in getting to their own money due past financial difficulties or identification requirements.

Last month, Citizens Advice launched a campaign calling for an overhaul in the banking industry’s practices for basic accounts and for everyone to have access irrespective of their financial circumstances.

It is more than a little sad that this campaign is necessary, as Citizens Advice first starting calling for this essential facility 10 years ago.

A decade on, this financial inclusion strategy is in trouble and that’s before the rollout of the new benefit system, Universal Credit, in which payments will be made directly into bank accounts.

But it is not just people on benefits who suffer; anyone on a low income or with a poor credit rating (perhaps because they have not used credit) could be turned away because of widely varying bank criteria.

The reality is that basic bank accounts do not generate huge profits, so some financial institutions pulled away from or ‘hid’ this provision while those who were socially responsible found themselves with a disproportionate share of the market and had to start restricting services or go under.

CAB is urging the banking industry to make basic accounts more widely available with a set of standards on issues such as identification that put all banks on an even playing field before Universal Credit is introduced.

Those facing problems in opening a basic account can get help from the Citizens Advice website, Advice Guide, or Lincoln CAB. An ID Handbook is available from Transact, the national forum for financial inclusion that provides information about many different forms of ID and how to get them.

Amanda McSorley joined the Research and Campaigns Team at Lincoln and District Citizens Advice Bureau in February 2013. She is a former journalist and newspaper editor, with 30 years’ experience of covering the issues that impact people’s lives.