To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the number of people eligible for housing legal aid.

Legal aid is available for possession, evictions, homelessness and housing disrepair claims (when there is a serious risk of illness or injury) subject to a financial means test. Anyone in this situation should contact the Civil Legal Aid telephone helpline or use the ‘Find a legal advisor’ tool on Gov.UK.

Legal aid is available for people facing the loss of their home through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS) and the Civil Legal Aid Helpline. HLPAS provides free early legal advice, on a non-means tested basis, on housing, debt, welfare benefits and council tax reduction scheme problems from the moment someone receives notice possession is being sought or to those facing eviction. HLPAS also offers free representation at court from a duty solicitor on the day of their court hearing.

In 2023-24 over 28,000 legal advice cases were started and over 5,000 court cases were given representation, in addition to over 29,000 people getting advice from the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service.

The Government is currently consulting on uplifts to legal aid fees for housing. Subject to consultation, an additional £20 million will be invested into the legal aid sector every year: this would increase overall spend by 24% for housing.