ABSTRACT
Effective legal protection and access to justice are fundamental principles in the United Kingdom (UK): it is essential that everyone be able to secure access to justice irrespective of their social status, race, sex, or financial power. The challenge for the legal system is the extent to which it can actually secure its vision of effective legal protection in practice. Legal protection in the UK has a long history. For many centuries, the courts supervised and checked the decisions of inferior public bodies by ensuring that they acted within the limits of their jurisdiction. The courts also applied ordinary principles of private law to protect individuals. The UK now has a developed system of administrative law comprising courts, tribunals, and ombudsmen. The courts review administrative decisions under three general principles: legality; procedural fairness; and irrationality. Effective legal protection is provided not just by courts, but also by tribunals.
