There have been some major changes to Legal Aid since 1st April 2013. The Legal Services Commission has traditionally provided Legal Aid assistance to those who have been financially eligible to cover all aspects of family law.
However, since 1st April 2013 Legal Aid has been limited to ONLY those cases involving issues of child protection or where an individual is able to produce evidence of domestic abuse within the relationship.
Examples where funding is available are:
- Public family law regarding protection of children (care proceedings)
- Private family law (divorce) where there is evidence of domestic violence
- Children cases relating to contact/residence/prohibited steps/specific issues where there is evidence of abuse
- Child abduction matters
- Representation for child parties in family cases
- Legal advice in support of mediation
- Domestic violence injunction cases
- Forced marriage protection order cases
- If you had public funding secured before 1st April 2013, it will continue.
To qualify for Legal Aid, you’ll need to pass a means test. This considers your income and expenditure and establishes whether you are financially eligible for these services.
If you are not eligible, and you still want to be represented by a solicitor you will have to fund this service yourself.