The government should protect justice spending to at least the levels announced at the last spending review, the Law Society has said ahead of today's autumn statement.

Jeremy Hunt, chancellor of the exchequer, is widely expected to announce billions of pounds worth of spending cuts and taxes in his first budget speech.

However Society vice-president Nick Emmerson said budget cuts would do lasting damage to the justice system, including the availability of civil and criminal legal aid solicitors, at a time when they are needed more than ever to help people hit by the cost of living crisis.

Emmerson said: 'This is crunch-time for the UK’s justice system and the government should commit to protecting spending on justice at least at the levels announced at the last spending review.

Jeremy Hunt

Hunt is expected to announce billions of pounds worth of spending cuts

Source: ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

‘There are huge backlogs in our courts, vast legal aid deserts across England and Wales and underpaid and overworked solicitors leaving legal aid work in their droves.

‘The government should commit to implementing the rise recommended by the Bellamy report for the fees which government pays solicitors for criminal legal aid work. The means test must be adjusted in accordance with the proposals consulted on earlier this year so people can access vital legal advice in times of crisis.’

The Bar Council has also made a ‘special pleading’ to government not to cut the justice budget, publishing fresh data that shows 533 parliamentary constituencies do not have access to a local law centre.

In last year's budget, then chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extra £1.9bn resource funding for England's criminal justice system to manage the increased number of offenders being brought to justice and reduce the court backlog.