Legal Aid

Legal Aid is help for people who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer. It helps you:

• Get legal advice.
• Go to court.
• Understand your rights and options.
• Handle negotiations and paperwork.
• Get a solicitor or barrister to prepare your case and represent you in court or tribunals.
• A solicitor can give legal advice and handle paperwork, whilst a barrister can help represent you in court

• Family issues: Divorce, custody of children.
• Housing problems: Eviction, bad living conditions.
• Benefits: Issues with welfare or disability benefits.
• Criminal cases: If you are accused of a crime.

• You get benefits like:
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Universal Credit
  • Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• You or your family are at risk of serious harm.
• You are at risk of losing your home.
• You are being discriminated against.
• You are making a legal case under the Human Rights Act.

1. Check Your Eligibility for Legal Aid
   • Click here to see if you qualify.
2. Contact a Legal Aid Solicitor
   • Find a solicitor from our service directory. They will apply for legal aid for you. Also see the Gov website here to find a legal aid adviser or family mediator.
3. Provide Information
   • You need to give details about your benefits, income, and savings.

For more situations where you might get legal aid, visit the Citizen’s Advice website.

Exceptional Cases

You might get legal aid in special situations if refusing it would affect your:

• Rights under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
• EU rights to legal representation.
• This is because they ensure everyone has the right to a fair trial and the right to have a lawyer. Without legal aid, you might not have a fair chance to defend yourself.

Advice Now

• Service: Provides accurate information on rights and the law.
• Website: http://www.advicenow.org.uk/tags/legal-aid-and-advice

Civil Legal Advice (CLA)

• Service: Free, confidential advice in England and Wales if you qualify for legal aid.
• Website: https://www.gov.uk/civil-legal-advice
• Phone: 0345 345 4 345
  • Open Monday to Friday: 9.00am to 8.00pm
  • Saturday: 9.00am to 12.30pm

Citizens Advice

• Service: Provides free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice.
• Website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/taking-legal-action/help-with-legal-costs-legal-aid/

Law Centres Network

• Service: Offers legal advice, casework, and representation.
• Website: http://www.lawcentres.org.uk/