Two landmark reports addressing pay and working conditions in the free legal advice sector, were officially launched at the Helping Hands Conference on 25th June. The event, a collaboration between the Advising Londoners Partnership (ALP) and the Advice Workforce Development Fund (AWDF), brought together professionals from across the sector to focus on staff wellbeing, retention, and to explore the future of the advice workforce.
The Pay and Recommendations for the London Social Welfare Advice Sector Report, examines salary levels across the sector, highlighting low wages, limited career progression, and poor job security as key challenges of recruitment and retention. Commissioned by the AWDF, the report uses surveys, interviews, job data, and benchmarking to assess current salary structures and worker experiences across 658 advice agencies in London. It offers evidence-based recommendations, including a proposed minimum pay scale, to promote fairer, more sustainable compensation practices and support long term workforce stability in the sector. Read the full report here on the AWDF website.
Also commissioned by the AWDF, the Conditions and Benefits in the London Social Welfare Advice Sector report investigates the working conditions and employment benefits of staff in the advice sector. Based on interviews and focus groups with workers and organisations, it explores job satisfaction, stress, wellbeing, flexible working, training, career progression, alongside how disabilities are supported in the workplace. While many advice workers are motivated by the positive impact of their work, the report reveals widespread dissatisfaction with pay, limited benefits in smaller organisations, precarious contracts, and minimal career advancement opportunities. The full report is available here on the AWDF website.
The reports mark a significant step forward in using evidence to improve the sustainability of the advice workforce. To stay up to date on future developments, including tools, reports, case studies, and events click here to register for updates.
