Legal aid

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1. Overview

Legal aid can help meet the costs of legal advice, family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal.

You바카라 사이트檒l usually need to show that:

You could for example get legal aid if:

  • you or your family are at risk of abuse or serious harm, for example domestic violence or forced marriage
  • you바카라 사이트檙e at risk of homelessness or losing your home
  • you바카라 사이트檝e been accused of a crime, face prison or detention
  • you바카라 사이트檙e being discriminated against
  • you need family mediation
  • you바카라 사이트檙e adding legal arguments or bringing a case under the Human Rights Act

You바카라 사이트檒l usually need to show that you cannot afford to pay for this help. You may have to pay some money towards the legal costs of your case or pay costs back later.

Check if you can get legal aid to get help with civil cases. Your legal adviser will usually apply for legal aid on your behalf.

There are different legal aid rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland:

2. What you can get legal aid for

You could get help with the costs of legal advice or getting someone to speak or negotiate for you.

If you qualify for legal aid, you could get:

  • advice on your rights and options
  • help with negotiations and paperwork
  • help if you바카라 사이트檙e accused of a crime, for example advice at a police station
  • a solicitor or barrister to get your case ready and speak on your behalf in court and some tribunals

Civil (non-criminal) cases

You might be able to get legal aid for problems like:

  • homelessness or losing your home, or if it바카라 사이트檚 in serious disrepair
  • protecting yourself or your child from abuse or harassment, for example domestic abuse or violence or forced marriage
  • poor quality care you or a family member are getting due to age, disability or special educational needs
  • needing advice on finances, children or divorce if you바카라 사이트檝e been in an abusive relationship
  • a child in your family being at risk of being taken into care
  • family mediation, for example if you바카라 사이트檙e separating or getting a divorce
  • discrimination
  • challenging the way the government has made a decision about you
  • seeking asylum or if you바카라 사이트檝e been the victim of human trafficking
  • needing advice if a family member바카라 사이트檚 death is going to a coroner바카라 사이트檚 inquest
  • appealing a decision made by the social security tribunal about your benefits to the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal or Supreme Court

Check if you can get legal aid for your type of problem.

If your human rights are at risk, you could get legal aid for cases that would not usually be eligible.

Criminal cases

You have the right to free legal advice if you바카라 사이트檙e questioned at a police station.

You바카라 사이트檒l automatically get legal aid for legal representation in court if you바카라 사이트檙e under 16 (or under 18 and in full-time education) or on certain benefits.

If you cannot get legal aid, you may be able to get free advice from:

You can also pay for advice from a local legal adviser or solicitor.

3. Financial eligibility

To get legal aid, you바카라 사이트檒l usually need to show that both:

  • your income is below a certain amount
  • the value of your savings, investments and property are below a certain amount

You can be eligible for legal aid whatever your financial circumstances if your case is:

  • heard by a mental health tribunal
  • about child abduction
  • about children in care

There are different financial rules if you바카라 사이트檝e been charged with a crime. Find out how to apply.

Your income

You바카라 사이트檒l usually need to show that you and your partner either:

  • have a joint monthly income of 拢2,657 or less (before tax and other deductions)

  • get a qualifying benefit

Qualifying benefits are:

  • Universal Credit聽

  • the 바카라 사이트楪uarantee Credit바카라 사이트� element of Pension Credit

  • income-based Jobseeker바카라 사이트檚 Allowance (JSA)

  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

  • Income Support

You might still be eligible if you have a higher income and your case is about:

  • domestic abuse or violence聽
  • forced marriage

If you바카라 사이트檙e not sure if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible, you should still apply. Your eligibility will be checked as part of your application.

Your savings, investments and property

You will not usually be eligible if you and your partner have assets of over 拢8,000. Assets are:

  • savings and investments聽

  • any equity in your home over 拢100,000 (equity is the current value of your home minus the amount of mortgage you owe)聽

You might still be eligible if you have assets worth more than 拢8,000 if:

  • you바카라 사이트檙e over State Pension age聽
  • you바카라 사이트檙e disputing ownership of your home
  • your case is about domestic abuse or violence聽
  • your case is about forced marriage

If you바카라 사이트檙e not sure if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible, you should still apply. Your eligibility will be checked as part of your application.

When you might have to contribute some of the costs of your case

Legal aid might not cover all the costs of your case. You may have to:

  • pay some of the costs upfront
  • pay back some of the cost if you win money or property from your case

If you win money or property

The Legal Aid Agency will make a charge or claim on any money or property you win to pay back the cost of legal aid. This is known as the 바카라 사이트榮tatutory charge바카라 사이트�.

If the charge is on your home, you can pay it back in a similar way to a mortgage. Your legal adviser will explain how this works.聽

Contact the Legal Aid Agency바카라 사이트檚 Secured Debt Team to discuss how to pay.

Secured Debt Team
secureddebtteam@justice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 200 2020
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

4. How to apply

Check if you can get legal aid in England or Wales.

Search for a or .

Your legal adviser or family mediator will apply for legal aid on your behalf. If you qualify, the government will pay their costs directly.

You can get emergency help if you need urgent representation in court, for example to keep you and your children safe from domestic abuse.

Your legal adviser will apply for Emergency Legal Representation to cover any immediate action. You still need to apply for legal aid in the normal way for any ongoing work.

Criminal cases

A police custody officer will help you get legal aid if you바카라 사이트檝e been arrested and held at a police station. You바카라 사이트檒l be offered free advice:

  • by telephone (if the offence is less serious)
  • from the police station바카라 사이트檚 duty solicitor
  • from your own legal adviser

If you바카라 사이트檙e charged or go to court

A solicitor will check if you qualify for legal aid if you바카라 사이트檙e charged with a crime or have to go to court. You can then:

  • get advice from the same organisation that helped you at the police station
  • ask to speak to the court duty solicitor

You바카라 사이트檒l need to give information about the following for both yourself and your partner:

  • benefits - including benefits statements
  • income, savings and spending - including pay slips and bank statements
  • National Insurance numbers

You바카라 사이트檒l also need copies of evidence relating to your case, for example:

  • court documents
  • marriage and birth certificates (for family cases)
  • relevant letters

Tell your legal adviser if any of your financial circumstances change.

5. Funding for exceptional cases

You could get legal aid for cases that would not usually be eligible if your human rights are at risk. This is known as exceptional case funding (ECF).

Eligibility

You need to show you cannot afford to pay legal costs. You might not be eligible if you바카라 사이트檙e on a higher income or have money, savings or investments. You might need to pay part of your legal costs.

You also need to show that being refused legal aid would infringe:

  • your rights under the European Convention on Human Rights
  • your retained EU rights to legal representation

You might be able to get exceptional case funding for:

  • immigration cases
  • family cases
  • housing cases
  • welfare benefits disputes
  • coroner inquests

What information you바카라 사이트檒l need to give

When you apply, you바카라 사이트檒l need to give details of your case. For example you might need to show:

  • how your human rights would be affected by not getting legal aid
  • that you바카라 사이트檙e not able to deal with the case yourself, for example because you find it difficult to read or write, the case or evidence is complicated or the case is difficult to prove
  • that the outcome is extremely important

Apply through a lawyer

Most people use a lawyer to apply for exceptional case funding. Contact a legal adviser for advice on whether you바카라 사이트檙e eligible and how to apply.

Apply yourself

Complete the relevant forms for your case and send them to:

contactECC@justice.gov.uk

If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for legal help with a coroner바카라 사이트檚 inquest, you must apply through a lawyer.

Immigration cases that do not need to go to a court or tribunal

Complete the ECF application form CIV ECF 1 and form CW1.

Immigration cases that go to a court or tribunal

Complete the ECF application form CIV ECF 1 and form CW2 (IMM).

Family cases that do not need to go to court

Complete the ECF application form CIV ECF 1 and form CW1.

Family cases that need to go to court

Complete the ECF application form CIV ECF 1 and form CIV APP 3. You also need to:

Civil law cases that do not need to go to court

Complete the ECF application form CIV ECF 1 and form CW1.

Civil law cases that need to go to court

Complete the ECF application form CIV ECF 1 and form CIV APP 1. You also need to:

After applying

You바카라 사이트檒l usually get a decision within 25 working days.

If your case is urgent, the Legal Aid Agency will prioritise it and aim to make a decision within 10 working days. You or your lawyer can tell us that your case is urgent on the application form and in the email.

If you cannot get legal aid, you may be able to get free advice from:

You can also pay for advice from a local legal adviser or solicitor.

6. Domestic abuse or violence

You might be able to get legal aid if you have evidence that you or your children have been victims of domestic abuse or violence and you cannot afford to pay legal costs.

You do not have to get evidence before talking to a legal aid solicitor or Civil Legal Advice (CLA), but they바카라 사이트檒l need to see it before deciding whether you can get legal aid.

You or your children must have been victims of either:

  • domestic abuse or violence
  • financial control, for example being stopped from accessing a joint bank account

What counts as evidence

You바카라 사이트檒l usually need to show that you or your children were at risk of harm from an ex-partner.

You can ask for evidence from:

  • the courts
  • the police
  • a multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC)
  • social services
  • a health professional, for example a doctor, nurse, midwife, psychologist or health visitor
  • a refuge manager
  • a domestic violence support service
  • your bank, for example credit card accounts, loan documents and statements
  • your employer, or education or training provider
  • the provider of any benefits you바카라 사이트檝e received

How to get evidence

You can download and print a sample letter to send to the police, courts, or medical and social services.

This helps you get the proof you need, depending on whether:

Give the letter to the person you바카라 사이트檙e asking to provide evidence. They바카라 사이트檒l be able to fill in the details for you.

You might have to pay a fee for this.

When you have the evidence

Show the evidence to your legal aid solicitor or CLA adviser.

7. Legal problems abroad

You can apply for legal aid in:

  • Albania
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Montenegro
  • Netherlands
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine

You can get help with your application from a publicly funded solicitor, including getting documents translated.

Contact the embassy, the high commission or a consulate of that country or the Legal Aid Agency to find out how to apply.

Legal Aid Agency - for legal problems abroad
crossborderapps@justice.gov.uk