GP practices are getting in-house physios and pharmacists – and now they may also get lawyers, it has been announced.

The proposal has emerged from the government’s Justice Department as part of reforms of the legal aid system.

Ministers say that practice-based lawyers might be able to give vulnerable people early advice about issues involving finance or housing, helping to prevent debt, evictions and court judgements.

There is to be a £5 million fund to support innovative ways of providing legal advice – and this may include trials of practice-based lawyers, it was reported. The idea is already being tested in Bristol and in Newham, East London.

Justice minister Lucy Frazer said: “We will catch people who don’t know they have a legal issue before them come to us. A lot of people who suffer from mental health problems may have debt issues or housing problems.

“They might not have sought advice for those issues and they are not getting help with their housing. We can nip that in the bud to sort out the issue.”

She added: “We are emphasising the need for new technologies and new ideas to catch people early, before their problems escalate to the courtroom.”