The Legal Services Commission (LSC) plans to cut its contract with the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit by 70 per cent – a move that is fiercely opposed by the Unit’s director.

The cut comes just a few weeks after the government refused to step in and save another immigration advice charity, Refugee and Migrant Justice, which went into administration owed £1.8m by the government for legal aid fees incurred.

The Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit offers free advice and representation on immigration, asylum and nationality law to people the region who are eligible for legal aid.

Denise McDowell, director of the service, said: “The LSC have damaged immigration legal aid beyond repair. This will mean there will be even more people standing unrepresented before the courts.”

She added: “Over the next few weeks and months we will be taking action to manage this situation including seeking to secure alternative funding to continue the work. We will not take this lying down and we need you to help us fight this.”

In the year to 31 March 2009 the Unit had total income of just over £520,000, £296,000 of which came from the contract with the Legal Services Commission.