Consumers are set to benefit from more focused oversight of legal regulators, earlier action to identify and tackle risks, better complaints handling and support for technology that makes legal help more accessible and affordable.
We have published our response to the independent Public Bodies Review of the Legal Services Board. We accept the review’s recommendations. Our response explains the changes already made, the work underway and our timetable for further action.
The LSB oversees eight frontline regulators in England and Wales. Our oversight will be proportionate to the risks, with fewer routine reporting requirements for regulators performing well and managing risks effectively.
Monisha Shah, Chair of the Legal Services Board, said:
“The Legal Services Board is committed to effective regulation in the public interest. We will prioritise our work more sharply on stronger oversight to protect consumers. Our strategic objective will be to focus on areas of greatest harm to consumers and where regulation can make the most difference.
“To that end, we will use our convening abilities to foster a shared understanding of cross sector risks and challenges, using data and evidence to make the regulatory system more effective. The PBR recognises that success will depend on co-ordinated change at multiple levels. We intend to play our part in bringing about a system-wide transformation of legal service regulation.”
Programme of work underway
We have already:
- Introduced a more targeted, risk-based approach to oversight.
- Established a dedicated regulatory oversight directorate and made senior appointments to deliver our plans.
- Intensified our oversight of the Solicitors Regulation Authority following significant law firm failures, seeking urgent improvements to protect consumers.
- Brought active policy development on professional ethics and the rule of law to a close.
- Decided not to proceed with the proposed statutory statement of policy on diversity at this time.
Our statutory responsibilities and oversight of regulators’ work on professional ethics and diversity continue.
Work is also underway to improve complaints handling and access to redress, including supporting the Legal Ombudsman’s transformation so that more complaints can be resolved more quickly.
Working together to improve the system
We will work with frontline regulators, the Office for Legal Complaints, the Legal Services Consumer Panel and the Ministry of Justice to build a shared understanding of risks and coordinate action. We will also support representative bodies and others where they are better placed to lead.
Our response will inform our strategy for 2027–30. Consultation on the proposed strategy and 2027/28 business plan is planned for autumn/winter 2026, with final publication intended for spring 2027.
Read our full response, including our actions and timetable for each recommendation.