The Low Commission
The Low Commission on the Future of Advice and Legal Support, chaired by cross-bench peer and disability rights campaigner Lord Low CBE, was launched by LAG on 4 December 2012 to develop a strategy for access to advice and support on social welfare law in England and Wales.
The Low Commission has gathered evidence about the future of advice and legal support on social welfare law issues in England and Wales. In addition to encouraging written evidence submissions, the Commission arranged meetings to discuss issues such as advice and IT, innovation in the advice sector and pro bono. The Commission also visited advice agencies in England and Wales and held a series of one to one meetings with those working in the sector, government officials and interested parliamentarians.
The launch of the Commission was covered in the December 2012 issue of Legal ActionLow Commission on the Future of Advice and Legal Support
Lord Low commented: 'We are very grateful to everyone who has shared their time and insight with us so far and we hope that the advice sector will continue to allow us to draw on its knowledge and expertise. I warmly encourage honest and open appraisal of our recommendations and look forward to productive consultation meetings.'
The Commission's main report called for urgent reforms to ensure ordinary people can get the help they need to deal with employment, debt, housing and other social welfare law problems.
Commission documents
Annex 1 – Low Commission's methodology for surveys of local area services and MP surgeries
Annex 2 – Social welfare law contextual issues
Annex 3 – Good law
Annex 4 – Courts and tribunals
Annex 5 – Alternative dispute resolution
Annex 6 – Public legal education
Annex 7 – Helplines and websites
Annex 8 – Quality: Not-for-profit sector and quality standards
Annex 9 – Outcomes
Annex 10 – Funding assumptions and breakdown of National Advice and Legal Support Fund
Annex 11 – National public sector funding
Annex 12 – Local authority funding
Annex 13 – Advice and health
Annex 14 – Voluntary sources of funding
Annex 15 – Advice and housing associations
Annex 16 – Commercial sources of funding
Annex 17 – Pro bono
Annex 18 – Other sources of funding