Briefing on Immigration Legal Services in Wales

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Briefings ResourcesJuly 16th, 2024

This Bevan Foundation briefing gives a snapshot of free-at-source immigration legal services currently available in Wales.

Access to justice for immigration matters is severely restricted in Wales. With both legal aid services and non-legal aid provision in crisis, this briefing summarises the steep decline in recent years of legal aid services for people needing advice and representation for immigration matters. Following on from the Bevan Foundation report into immigration legal aid in Wales, it gives an overview of the few free-at-source services that remain, under legal aid and within the charity and non-profit sector. This briefing was noted by the Senedd Committee for Equality and Social Justice at its meeting on 15th July.

Among its key messages are:

Only five immigration legal aid providers remain in Wales, operating six offices between them.
60% of immigration legal aid offices in Wales have closed in just over 5 years.
Since 2015-16, there has been a 55 per cent drop in immigration legal aid matter starts in Wales.
The greatest demand for immigration legal services falls outside the scope of legal aid.
Six organisations in Wales offer free services regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Most of these operate at the most basic level (Level 1).
Failure to access justice at the right time can result in the loss of rights, employment, housing, immigration status, and ultimately lead to destitution or deportation.