In what will be seen as confirmation of the sustainability crisis facing the civil legal aid sector, the government has had to open the procurement process for new-look housing contracts for the third time.

New housing loss prevention advice service contracts are due to begin in August, replacing the existing housing possession court duty scheme.

The procurement process originally opened last November. However, in February, the Legal Aid Agency had to reopen the tender after failing to receive ‘compliant’ bids in 12 procurement areas: Bedford, Birkenhead, Crewe, Darlington, Dartford, Durham, High Wycombe, Hull, Liverpool, Teesside, Telford and Wigan.

Yesterday, the agency announced it was ‘opening another opportunity’ to bid for contracts after failing to attract ‘compliant’ bids in the following 11 areas: Birkenhead, Cheltenham, Crewe, Dartford, Hull, Leicester, Liverpool, Salisbury, Southampton, Telford and Wigan.

The latest call for bids is likely to prompt fresh calls for emergency funding to address what Housing Law Practitioners Association co-chair Simon Mullings described in February as the ‘chronic’ shortage of suppliers.

The government has embarked on a major review of civil legal aid, which includes housing. However, the review is not due to report until next year.

Questioned about legal aid availability during justice questions last month, justice minister Mike Freer told the House of Commons that the government was investing an additional £10m on housing legal aid.

 

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