The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) has warned that the civil legal aid system is on the verge of collapse, with four out of ten of its branches reporting that they are trying - but failing - to plug gaps in advice deserts.

NACAB's survey of 200 bureaux suggested that the Community Legal Service (CLS) has turned into a 'postcode lottery', with some bureaux referring clients to solicitors more than 50 miles away.

The most problematic area of law is asylum, with 68% of branches saying they have had trouble finding a suitable lawyer.

A further 58% had problems locating family firms in their area, and a similar number highlighted housing law shortages.

Particular advice hotspots include Gloucestershire, Rotherham and Melton, where there are no firms contracted to do legal aid work at all.

NACAB chief executive David Harker said the CLS would continue to fail unless there was more funding and less bureaucracy.

He also called for the civil budget to be ring-fenced from crime, and the means test amended, so that more people are eligible for legal aid.

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said the report backed Chancery Lane's view that people were being denied access to justice even if they qualified for legal aid.

'The Law Society believes reform of the system is urgently needed to attract enough solicitors to work in legal aid,' she added.

Legal Aid Practitioners Group director Richard Miller said he hoped the government would take heed.

'If CAB have difficulty in finding a solicitor to see their clients, how much more difficult is it for clients seeking such help unaided?' he asked.

A Legal Services Commission spokesman said that while there may be isolated problems, 'we do not believe that the report provides an accurate picture of the availability of legal and advice services overall'.

Where legal aid solicitors are needed, rather than advice services, 'they are generally available nearby', he said.

He added that the 2004 contract round aimed to address identified problems of unmet need.

Paula Rohan