Access to justice and consumer vulnerability are among new workstreams to be launched by the Legal Services Board this year, according to the oversight regulator's latest business plan, published on Friday.
The 2023/24 plan is based on a budget of £4.679m, a 9% increase on 2022/23. The regulator stressed that, based on January's inflation rate of 10.1%, this amounts to a decrease in real terms. The LSB is funded through a statutory levy on approved legal sector regulators.
According to the plan, workstreams for 2023/24 include:
- Access to Justice: 'We will consider the role of regulation in improving access to the publicly-funded justice system and scope future work in this area.' This will include investigating the use of regulatory levers 'to foster responsible innovation that increases access to legal services'. The LSB will also 'develop and consult on new statutory guidance promoting technology for access'.
- Market analysis: 'Through increased horizon scanning, we will develop a better understanding of the risks and issues facing the sector and how they may impact on delivery of the strategy. '
- Consumer vulnerability: 'We will develop our understanding of best practice across the sector and agree principles on how to support consumers in vulnerable circumstances.
Over the year, the LSB will review front-line regulators’ arrangements for ensuring that disciplinary and enforcement processes are fair and consistent,' the announcement stated. It also promised 'a toolkit for regulators on developing arrangements for financial protections to support consumers and legal professionals as the PII market hardens'.
Alan Kershaw, who took over as chair on 1 April, said: ‘I look forward to working with stakeholders across the sector to ensure legal services are as good as they can be and that people can access legal services at the critical times when they need them. This plan recognises the range of challenges and opportunities facing the sector and sets out our ambition to play our part in addressing those. It was developed following a public consultation, and we have sought to give priority to where the LSB and regulation can have the greatest impact.’
Outgoing chair Dr Helen Phillips said: 'I am proud of our progress so far in delivering fairer outcomes, stronger confidence and better services for consumers, but there is more that regulation can do to make sure people who need legal services can get the help and advice they need.'
The Bar Council last month accused the LSB of stepping beyond its remit, saying it is pressing for a Ministry of Justice review of the regulator's role and performance.
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