LSB: Only half of those with legal problems get professional advice

Only half of those with a legal issue received professional help, according to new research by the Legal Services Board (LSB) and the Law Society.

Two-thirds of adults in England and Wales had experienced at least one legal issue in the last four years. The most common related to employment, finance, welfare and benefits (28%), wills, trusts and probate (26%), consumer problems (26%) and property, construction and planning (25%).

The Legal Needs Survey found that 57% of those experiencing an issue had a contentious legal problem and half of those individuals said they needed support to deal with the problem.

Almost a third did not have their issue resolved adequately and had an unmet legal need, while a fifth had an unmet need because they did not get professional help. The situation had not improved since the last survey was conducted in 2019.

For 15%, their legal issue was caused by the increasing cost of living, with 26% saying this had made the issue worse. The pandemic also played a role, causing 12% of issues and making 26% worse.

LSB chair Alan Kershaw said: “People frequently require legal services when they are going through important life events. They are also often vulnerable because they may have been a victim of crime, dealing with a high-value transaction, or seeking compensation for a loss. Everyone should have access to professional legal support when they need it. But this survey shows people don’t always get it.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have caused people’s legal issues to worsen, and it is concerning that some people feel they need to rely on friends or family who are not legally qualified rather than seek professional legal support. This may be because they do not recognise their problem as being legal in nature or are worried about the cost, or simply do not know where to go.

“The level of unmet need demonstrates the size of the market legal providers could tap into. We hope regulators and providers use the insights from this survey to find new opportunities and drive competition.”