From 2 May the legal aid fees paid to independent social workers (ISWs) hired as expert witnesses in family court cases will be capped at £30 an hour across England and Wales and at £33 in London.
BASW – The College of Social Work has said this is around half the average fee most currently receive and will force many ISWs to turn down the work.
The organisation’s professional officer Nushra Mansuri said: "This is such a significant devaluing of the work that it will make being an expert witness financially untenable for many. We are already getting calls from our ISW members saying that they will not be able to carry out the work for that fee."
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