The only law centre on the Isle of Wight is set to close its doors for good at the end of August after almost 20 years. Centre manager Matt Thatcher, said the closure comes at a time when its services 'will be needed more than ever'.

The centre in Newport, which opened in 2003 and has nine staff, will close its doors at noon on 31 August 2022. A statement explained that the centre’s 'attempts to secure further funding have not come to fruition'.

Thatcher blamed the closure on the stripping back of legal aid and the decision made in 2019 by Isle of Wight Council to withdraw its £70,000 a year funding. He told the Gazette: 'It’s like a death by a thousand cuts'.

Since 2019, a legal aid contract to provide housing and debt advice has enabled the centre to continue its work.

Every year, the centre estimates that its work preventing evictions saves the council over £1 million. As a result of the closure, Thatcher said that Island taxpayers will have to pay more for the council to deal with families who become homeless.

Over the past two decades, he said the centre has helped thousands of people along the south coast in need of help with housing, debt, benefits and other social welfare law problems. 'We get calls from people in Bournemouth, Brighton and other areas along the coast, where there are no law centres,' said Thatcher, adding that the nearest law centre for islanders will now be in Swindon.

Bob Seely, MP for the Isle of Wight, told the Gazette: 'I am clearly disappointed that the Isle of Wight law centre is shutting.' He said that he is 'talking to the council about funding the law centre', but was not able to provide any more details.

Julie Bishop, director of the Law Centres Network, said the closure will be a 'great loss' to the island, particularly because the south coast is 'already poorly served' by the free legal advice sector.

An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said: 'The local authority have a contract with the Isle of Wight Law Centre, which is due to expire in March 2023.  We are saddened that the law centre have made a decision to close but, have and continue to work with the law centre to try and find a solution that will enable the service to continue.'

 

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