Boost to UK legal aid rates ‘would not be enough’ to deal with asylum cases

The 15% raise being considered by ministers will not help to solve the severe shortage in immigration lawyers, The Law Society said

The Law Society has warned that a proposed 15% increase in legal aid rates will not be enough to ensure that there are sufficient immigration lawyers to deal with the government's controversial scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The Ministry of Justice launched a consultation on increasing legal aid rates by 15% on 27 June for immigration lawyers representing asylum seekers threatened with removal to Rwanda under new rules in the illegal migration bill.