In December 2018 the BBC Shared Data Unit reported cuts to legal aid had created "deserts" of provision across England and Wales.
Our analysis showed up to a million people lived in areas with no legal aid provision for housing, with a further 15 million in areas with one provider.
We analysed Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency data since 2011-12 and found:
- Around a million fewer claims for legal aid were being processed each year.
- More than 1,000 fewer legal aid providers were paid for civil legal aid work than in 2011-12.
- Four legal aid providers for welfare cover Wales and the South West while 41 covered London and the South East.
- Almost half of all community care legal aid providers were based in London.
This piece of content was produced by a regional newspaper reporter working alongside BBC staff.
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the BBC and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- The Eastern Daily Press: Legal aid funding cut by almost half in six years as advice network “decimated” 10 December 2018
- Great Yarmouth Mercury: Legal aid funding cut by almost half in six years as advice network “decimated” 10 December 2018
- The Bury Times: Bury's legal aid provision "decimated" by austerity Ministry of Justice data reveals 10 December 2018
- The Yorkshire Post: Cuts to legal aid causing 'advice deserts', analysis shows 10 December 2018
- Rochdale Online: Legal aid in Rochdale slashed 10 December 2018
- Bradford Telegraph & Argus: Vulnerable struggling to get legal help after cuts bite 10 December 2018
- Stourbridge News: Legal aid for Dudley civil cases falls by half, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 10 December 2018
- The Bolton News: Bolton's legal aid provision "decimated" by austerity Ministry of Justice data reveals 10 December 2018
- Cornish Stuff: Legal aid cuts make Cornwall an ‘advice desert’ 10 December 2018
- The Kidderminster Shuttle: Legal aid for civil cases in Wyre Forest falls by more than 40 per cent, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 11 December 2018
- The Swindon Advertiser: Cuts to legal aid failing domestic abuse victims says chief of Swindon Women's Aid 11 December 2018
- The Bromsgrove Advertiser: Legal aid for civil cases in Bromsgrove falls by 75 per cent, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 11 December 2018
- The Redditch & Alcester Advertiser: Legal aid for civil cases in Redditch falls by half, BBC Shared Data Unit reveals 11 December 2018
- York: The Press: Legal aid spending in York falls by more than half 12 December 2018
The story was also used by the BBC News Channel, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio 4 - Today, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Cumbria, BBC Surrey, BBC Somerset, BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Shropshire
