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Legal aid
Legal aid can pay for legal advice and for someone to represent you at a court or tribunal if you cannot afford it. The rules are different in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Official links
Show links for:
| Official source | Applies to |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK: legal aid www.gov.uk/legal-aid | England, Wales |
| GOV.UK: check if you can get legal aid www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid | England, Wales |
| mygov.scot: legal aid www.mygov.scot/legal-aid | Scotland |
| nidirect: legal aid information www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/legal-aid-information | Northern Ireland |
Step by step
- Check if your type of problem is covered, for example losing your home, domestic abuse, children being taken into care, discrimination or asylum.
- England and Wales: use the free 'Check if you can get legal aid' service or call Civil Legal Advice. You will be told whether to get advice by phone, see a legal adviser or a mediator.
- A legal adviser applies for you: you cannot apply on your own. You will usually need to show your income and savings are below set limits.
- Scotland and Northern Ireland: find a solicitor who does legal aid work, and they will check if you qualify and apply for you.
What you need
- Proof of income for you and your partner, or proof of a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit
- Details of your savings, investments and property
- Any papers about your legal problem
Common mistakes
- Assuming you earn too much. Some cases, such as children in care, do not depend on your finances, and domestic abuse cases have more flexible limits.
- Expecting legal aid for most debt, employment or benefit appeal problems. These are usually not covered unless an exception applies.
- Forgetting you may have to pay part of the costs or pay some back if you win money.