Trade unions in England and Wales and other membership organisations can apply to the Lord Chancellor to recover a sum towards the costs of in-house insurance towards protecting members against adverse litigation costs, under section 30 of the Access to Justice Act 1999.
The Lord Chancellor, in deciding whether to approve an organisation, considers whether it:
- exists to protect, defend, represent and promote the interest of its members
- has an exclusive range of benefits for members
- offers litigation funding as one of those benefits and on a discretionary basis, at no additional charge
- publishes annual accounts
- invests its membership payment within the organisation for the benefit of the members and the organisation
- covers all those deemed eligible by the organisation (not only members)
Trade unions in England and Wales listed by the certified officer are covered to provide enhanced legal services to members and their families under the Act.
Thirteen organisations have been approved since the powers were introduced. They are: AA Legal Service, British Cycling Federation, Defence Police Federation, Durham Colliery Overmen Deputies and Shotfirers Retired Members Group, Engineering Employers' Federation, Police Federation of England and Wales, RAC Motoring Services, the Cyclist Touring Club, the London Cycling Campaign, British Triathlon Federation, the Co-operative Group, the National Union of Students and the British Association of Social Workers.
Organisations seeking the approval of the Lord Chancellor should apply in writing, setting out the basis on which they are seeking approval, to the address below.
Contact us:
Aleks Leonard, Ministry of Justice, 3.10 Selborne House, 54 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QW
email 
or telephone 020 7210 8052 or fax 020 7210 0613