Only a fifth of clients would instruct solicitors on low value claims if small claims limit goes up, says Access2Justice group

Only a fifth of consumers would look to instruct lawyers to take on a low value personal injury case if the small claims limit goes up to £5,000, according to the Access2Justice group.

The survey, commissioned by InjuryLawyers4U, also found that 58% of the public thought that the proposed increase to the limit was unfair.

When asked what they would do if they had claim worth less than £5,000 and were told that could mean they pay up to 50% of their damages to cover their legal costs, just 19% said they would pursue through a solicitor. A quarter said they would try and run the case themselves. 30% said that they did not not know what they would do.

Andrew Twambley, the founder of InjuryLawyers4U and a director of Access2Justice, told Litigation Futures: “The public aren’t fooled, even if ministers are. Over-55s in particular are the loudest critics of the plans, with 45% calling them very unfair, and 22% unfair. But every single age group, regardless of gender or income bracket, said the plans were unfair…

“[The findings] shows that access to justice – a basic British right – would be slashed for 60 million people. The only winners would be insurers and their shareholders.”

Mark Dugdale