Lord Neuberger, UK's most senior judge, voices legal aid fears 5 March 2013 Last updated at 05:50 Lord Neuberger talks to the BBC's Clive Coleman The president of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, has said he fears cuts to legal aid could undermine the rule of law. From April, reforms removing public funding from legal aid in whole areas of civil law are to be introduced. He also said it was "unfortunate" that Home Secretary Theresa May had attacked judges for "ignoring" rules on deporting foreign criminals. But said he would not get into a "slanging" match with Mrs May. The changes to legal aid mean many people will have to pay privately for advice, find charitable help or represent themselves in trying to solve their disputes. Lord Neuberger said its consequences could in fact cost the government more. Funding for a wide range of disputes, including some divorce cases and clinical negligence, is to be axed. The proposals are intended to cut the legal aid bill by £350m a year by 2015. Burden Lord Neuberger told the BBC: "My worry is the removal of legal aid for people to get advice about law and get representation in court will start to undermine the rule of law because people will feel like the government isn't giving them access to justice in all sorts of cases. And that will either lead to frustration and lack of confidence in the system, or it will lead to people taking the law into their own hands. Lord Neuberger said another problem would be the increase in the number of people who represent themselves in court because they could not afford or get legal aid for a lawyer, "This will mean that court hearings will last longer, the burden on court staff and judges will increase," he said. And you may find the savings the government thinks it's making in legal aid will be off set in other costs of courts and judges and court staff in supporting litigants in person. In a statement the Ministry of Justice said: "Legal aid will continue to be provided to those who most need it, such as where domestic violence is involved, where people's life or liberty is at stake or the loss of their home." The interview came two weeks after Mrs May accused judges of making the UK more dangerous by ignoring rules aimed at deporting more foreign criminals. She told the Mail on Sunday that they were choosing to "ignore parliament's wishes." "I think attacking judges is not a sensible way to proceed," Lord Neuberger said. It causes me concern but it does not alarm me. No government has done anything to undermine judges. He added: "It is unfortunate that the Home Secretary has acted and spoken as she has done."