Legal aid applications increase by almost 20%

APPLICATIONS for legal aid and advice increased by almost 20% last year and “show no sign” of decreasing this year.

According to the Legal Aid Board annual accounts for 2009, 14,073 applications for legal aid and advice were received in 2009, an increase of 18% on the previous year.

Between 2006 and 2009, the number of applications received by the board increased by a staggering 45%, with the rate of increase showing no sign of slowing down in 2010.