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Welcome to the
Liverpool Access to Advice Network
The Liverpool Access to Advice Network (LATAN) was formed in 2020 as part of the Access to Justice Project, funded by Liverpool City Council.
Led by the University of Liverpool, School of Law & Social Justice & Department of Health, Policy and Systems, the project gathered evidence of the impact of legal aid cuts and welfare reform in Liverpool and identified and mapped advice services in the city.
Alongside the research, the project set up LATAN as an independent network of advice organisations, created a multi-agency referrals network and started to develop training and information sessions.
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Since then, LATAN has grown, and now has over 120 member organisations from across Liverpool; has developed a Liverpool Advice Strategy; and continues to hold network meetings and events to share information and skills, and to build collaboration.
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LATEST NEWS
The combined effects of austerity, welfare reform, Covid-19, spiralling costs, and the housing crisis have created a historic peak in the scale, complexity and urgency of advice needs. With ever increasing demand and a widening demographic, the challenge for people to access advice is greater than ever. Delays accessing advice are also having serious repercussions for the health of families across the country.
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These unprecedented times need a new vision for the advice sector. This calls for fresh thinking, collaboration and sharing ideas. We must also join up the dots between free legal advice and reducing health inequalities and poverty.
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This national conference organised by Liverpool Access to Advice Network, in partnership with the University of Liverpool, School of Law and Social Justice is responding to these challenges. Following keynote speeches by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, and Kim Johnson MP for Liverpool Riverside constituency, the conference will focus on innovation and collaboration in and with the advice sector and the connection between free legal advice and health inequality.
Aimed at advice practitioner organisations, support organisations, policy makers, academics and those with an interest in legal advice, health inequality, or anti-poverty work, this national conference will focus on fresh thinking, collaboration and sharing ideas.
Liverpool Access to Advice Network is holding a one-day conference in Liverpool on Thursday 23rd November 2023
Ticket prices:
LATAN Members - early bird booking in September 2023 - £20.00
LATAN Members full price - £25.00
Non-LATAN Members - £40.00
Booking:
University of Liverpool, School of Law and Social Justice are managing bookings.
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Visit the bookings page:
For more information on the event visit the University of Liverpool, School of Law and Social Justice events page:
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https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/law/events/latan-conference-2023/
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or download the Conference Brochure below (click on the image to download).
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Access to advice: collaboration, innovation & reducing health inequalities
Thursday 23rd November 2023
9.30am to 4.30pm
University of Liverpool,
School of Law and Social Justice,
Liverpool,
L69 7ZR
LATAN Demand for Advice & Capacity Survey Report 2023
In June and July of 2023 LATAN invited members of the network to participate in an online survey about their current situation including the extent and nature of demand, pressures on services and the experience of clients and staff. The survey also asked for information on funding and sustainability.
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Discussions amongst the Network had already painted a picture of a level of demand which was unprecedented in its scale, complexity and urgency. The results from the survey provide a stark picture of the reality of demand for advice that organisations are facing, and the impact on clients as well as the organisations.
Full report (click on image to download)
Summary of report - infographic (click on image to download)
Liverpool City Council Budget Proposals for 2023 - 2024
Liverpool City Council has proposed a range of budgets for the financial year 2023/24 that will affect the level of financial and other support to residents.
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Proposals include:
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Reducing or phasing out the Benefit Maximisation Service (BMS)
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Reductions in Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)
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Reducing the maximum amount of Council Tax Support (CTS)
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Changes to Citizens Support Scheme (CSS)
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Reductions in support to people with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)
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Reductions in One Stop Shop services
These are just some of the wide range of proposals being considered. Liverpool City Council undertook a consultation process during December 2022 and January 2023, to enable them to gain feedback on the budget proposals. As part of this LCC consultation process, Liverpool Access to Advice Network surveyed network members to gauge their views on the proposed budgets.
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Responses from LATAN members were combined into a report that was submitted to the consultation. The report highlights the damaging effect that individual proposals would have for residents, and for the advice sector in Liverpool, and also the cumulative impact of these changes if they are approved by Liverpool City Council.
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Click here to download the full report
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"Reducing Council Tax Support... directly targets the most vulnerable of Liverpool citizens, many of whom are already experiencing extreme poverty."
"Discretionary Housing Payment is essential for supporting residents to remain in their homes, it is a lifeline to families to avoid eviction and homelessness"