Wandsworth’s law centres have been saved from closure thanks to an emergency recovery plan, it has been announced.

Willy Bach, the legal aid minister, visited the Tooting branch of South West London Law Centres (SWLLC) last week to announce his pilot scheme.

He plans to invest more in infrastructure and test new ways of working, in the hope money could be saved and channelled back into helping the community.

Michael Ashe, chief executive of SWLLC, said: “Law centres provide a unique service to poor and disadvantaged people. We are delighted.”

Extra funds and expertise are to be drafted in through a new partnership between SWLLC, the Ministry of Justice, City law firms and charitable trusts.

Trustees of SWLLC, which provides free legal aid to 26,000 people per year, voted to shut down on September 3 last year over financial troubles.

The Government decided to intervene several weeks later after lobbying from MPs Sadiq Khan, Siobhan McDonagh and Martin Linton.

SWLLC is the largest of its kind in the UK, with centres for Wandsworth, Croydon, Sutton, Kingston, Richmond and Merton employing 47 staff.