Access to Justice

This debate pack provides a brief overview of and links to information on the following areas concerning access to justice: proposed changes to personal injury law and to soft tissue (whiplash) claims; court fees; changes to legal aid; court closures; and court reform. 

Access to justice refers to the right of an individual to have effective access to the courts, so that they have the means to resolve legal disputes. 

Recent changes to the justice system, in particular increases in court fees and court closures, have led many prominent commentators on the justice system, including MPs and the senior judiciary, to raise concerns over their impact on access to justice.

The Government has argued that such changes ensure that the courts and tribunal service is sustainably funded, which in turn will enable access to justice to be protected. 

In a consultation titled Transforming our Justice System, the Government has stated that it is committed to pursuing reforms to the courts and tribunal system to provide the public with a justice system that “is affordable, intelligible and available for use by all, convenient for those who cannot easily attend in person, and supportive of those not comfortable with the law or technology”.