The plans unveiled by legal aid minister Lord Bach and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) are aimed at ensuring money is targeting support for vulnerable families and children as well as cutting the overall legal aid bill by an estimated £6.5m.
The changes apply to payments for barristers under the Family Graduated Fee Scheme and will involve an increase in basic fees for child protection and looked after children cases while at the same time cutting aid for divorcing couples in property disputes.
LSC Chief Executive Carolyn Regan said: "Refocusing legal aid expenditure in this area will reduce overall cost, while maintaining the same level of service for families and children who need help."
Over the last five years legal aid payments to family barristers increased by 30 per cent, from £74m to £100m. At the same time the number of family law cases increased by just 11 per cent.
The changes come into force in June this year and follow a consultation, which closed last September.
A separate consultation looking at payments to both solicitors and barristers after 2010 is also taking place and closes on 18 March.
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