A new report from the JustRights campaign, launched by four advice charities including Youth Access, said that as a result children and young people were being denied their rights to liberty, security, shelter and education.
JustRights, which comprises the Children's Rights Alliance for England, the Howard League for Penal Reform, the Law Centres Federation as well as Youth Access, is campaigning for fair access to legal services for children and young people.
Its report found at least one million young people with complex social welfare problems such as debt, homelessness, education and employment issues got no advice at all.
Just one in seven of the young people who did manage to get advice did so from a recognised legal advice professional, according to the report. JustRights estimated that the cost to the taxpayer of failing to get legal advice was at least £1bn annually, as denying young people legal advice could lead to them becoming homeless, destitute or wrongly imprisoned.
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