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Frontline Fund grantee LSA reflects on three-year pilot project

Frontline Fund grantee LSA reflects on three-year pilot project

Frontline Fund grantee LSA reflects on three-year pilot project

Friday, September 5, 2025

 

Legal Services Agency (LSA) were one of our first Frontline Fund Partners, who over the last three years, delivered a pilot project in Scotland, providing prison-based legal advice and information to individuals, to break the recurring cycles of homelessness that people can experience when they leave prison. Over the duration of the project, they have supported 275 people and reaffirmed the critical importance of early legal intervention. A key legacy of this initiative is the long-lasting relationships that have been built along with the learnings from the project. We are hugely grateful to Aaliya Seyal for writing this blog, sharing her reflections and drawing out the key insights and learnings that we are pleased to share. 

Legal Services Agency | April 2025

Nearly three years ago, Legal Services Agency (LSA) launched a new initiative to bring early legal advice and representation into secure settings, starting with HMP Greenock and HMP Low Moss. This was a bold and ambitious step—one rooted in the belief that legal intervention at the right moment can prevent homelessness, reduce reoffending, and disrupt cycles of disadvantage. 

We began with a simple aim: to reach people before crisis became catastrophe, ensuring that those navigating complex legal, housing, or social issues within the criminal justice system had access to timely, specialist advice. 

Now, three years in, we reflect not only on where we started—but on the significant impact this service has achieved, the learning we've gathered, and the potential it holds for wider replication in other settings. 

Starting from the Ground Up 

When you set out to challenge entrenched systems, there’s rarely a clear map. New models of support—especially in places like prisons—require time, trust, and adaptability. We’re incredibly grateful to St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity (Frontline Fund) for backing this work with funding, flexibility, and a belief in long-term change. Their partnership approach made it possible to shape a service that could adapt as it grew. 

Building Trust and Navigating Secure Settings

Delivering legal advice in a prison setting came with necessary but complex groundwork. Establishing partnerships with HMP Greenock and HMP Low Moss, securing multi-stage operational approvals, and ensuring formal sign-off from governors all took time. 

What quickly became clear was how crucial relationships with Link Centre staff would be. Their frontline role positioned them as the key bridge between us and the people we hoped to support. Thanks to their support, we were able to embed weekly clinics that were well-coordinated, visible, and trusted by those inside. 

Flexibility Where It Matters Most 

Though formal processes were vital, they couldn’t be allowed to delay urgent support. We learned to remain flexible—taking informal referrals where possible, adapting schedules, and tailoring delivery to meet real-world needs. 

This flexibility enabled the service to expand organically. Word spread to other prisons, and our partnerships with external agencies working in the Link Centres and other partner organisations  allowed for wraparound support that extended far beyond legal advice. 

The Power of Co-Location 

One of our most important insights has been the power of co-location. Being physically present where people already are—whether in a prison, a hospital, or a recovery service—removes barriers. It opens up access. 

It also allows for timely, face-to-face referrals that people are more likely to act on. This simple but powerful model can and should be replicated in other services, particularly where individuals are in crisis or transition. 

To make this work in other settings, co-location must be supported by: 

  • Strong partnership frameworks with frontline staff 
  • An understanding of operational constraints 
  • A shared, trauma-informed approach across agencies 
  • Flexible, person-centred delivery 

Early Legal Support as a Catalyst for Change 

Legal problems are often the surface of much deeper struggles—unstable housing, trauma, addiction, or poverty. By addressing legal issues early, especially within secure settings, we prevent further deterioration and offer people a real chance to rebuild. 

Our experience shows that: 

  • Homelessness can be prevented, if individuals have access to legal advice  
  • Reoffending can be reduced when legal, housing, and support needs are addressed holistically 
  • People are more likely to engage when support is offered in an environment they trust 

This is about breaking cycles—not just managing crises. 

Looking Ahead 

We’re proud of the difference this service has made. We’ve supported individuals at their most vulnerable and shown that even within the most complex systems, early legal intervention can unlock lasting change. 

We extend our sincere thanks to St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity for believing in this work and giving us the time and flexibility to make it meaningful. 

Our hope is that this initiative becomes more than a project. That it becomes a model—replicated, expanded, and embedded across services that reach people in crisis. Because when you reach people early, and meet them where they are, you don’t just solve problems. You help rebuild lives. 

Case study - Aidan 

Aidan was living in social housing when he was sentenced to eight months in prison, which he was paying for using his universal credit. While serving his sentence, which he only expected to serve half of, Aidan found himself at risk of being released to homelessness, as his landlord mistakenly believed his universal credit payments would stop during his incarceration. Legal Services Agency were able to support Aidan by advising him of his legal right to maintain his tenancy, and by writing to the landlord to reassure that they would continue to receive rent payments. This support meant that Aidan would have a home to return to upon his release from prison, giving him a stable base from which to continue his life. We know that having a home upon release to prison drastically reduces risk of re-offending, and of the cycles of disadvantage many people fall into  

 

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