# Legal aid access in England and Wales

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/legal-aid-access-in-england-and-wales
> Updated: 2026-09-15T04:00:06.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

Research indicates that approximately 14.49 million people in England and Wales, representing 23.4% of the population, reside in ‘legal aid deserts’. These areas are characterized by a high legal need paired with weak access to legal aid provision.

Shortages have been identified across 91 local authorities in five primary sectors: housing, immigration, family, employment, and crime. Housing shows the largest gap, affecting 6.6 million people. Data shows a sharp increase in people living in family and criminal legal aid deserts compared to 2022. Geographic inequality is particularly evident in smaller, rural, and coastal communities, with some local authorities lacking access across all five examined legal categories.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-15: Law Society issues guidance on English and Welsh legal differences

The Law Society of England and Wales has issued new guidance to help solicitors navigate increasing legal differences between English and Welsh law in areas like property, taxation, and education.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/law-society-issues-guidance-on-english-and-welsh-legal-differences

### 2026-08-17: England and Wales face widespread legal aid deserts

A LexisNexis report finds that 23.4% of people in England and Wales live in ‘legal aid deserts,’ with significant shortages in housing, family, and criminal law provision.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/england-and-wales-face-widespread-legal-aid-deserts

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Cite as: Legal aid access in England and Wales. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/legal-aid-access-in-england-and-wales