This report from researchers at the House of Commons Library states that: “changes to civil legal aid have reduced spending, but whether they have increased costs elsewhere or added to the difficulties people may face in obtaining help with legal problems remains controversial…The National Audit Office and Commons Public Accounts and Justice Committees have questioned whether the cuts to legal aid have increased costs elsewhere in the legal system and have drawn attention to the increased difficulties that people may face in obtaining help with legal problems. This note offers an overview of the available evidence of the impact of the Act’s legal aid provisions, particularly the impact on clients, on those unable to access legal aid and on women and families.“
Civil legal aid changes since 2013: the impact on people seeking help with legal problems
Changes to Civil Aid in England and Wales Since 2013: The Impact on Clients.