Most adults now financially eligible for
civil legal aid
Even if you didn’t qualify for civil legal aid before April this year, that may well have changed.  Around three quarters of Scottish adults are likely to be financially eligible for civil legal aid from 7 April 2009, as part of a move to increase access to justice.  If your income, after paying essential expenses such as your mortgage, tax and childcare, is £25,000 or less, you may qualify.  Read more.

Our information leaflets contain helpful information. All are in pdf format. Some leaflets are available in other languages and formats.

Civil cases

• For people who are applying or have applied for civil legal aid, your solicitor will give you our information booklet called: Civil legal aid - information for applicants.
  
  

• Legal aid is not always free. Our leaflet Civil legal aid – what you may have to pay gives guidance for applicants for civil advice and assistance and civil legal aid to explain what you might have to pay towards your legal aid if you win or keep money or property as a result of your case.

Criminal cases

• Our leaflet tells you about Criminal legal assistance if you are not in custody

Children's cases

• If you are a child, Legal aid for children explains the types of legal aid available.
  
  

1. Introduction to legal aid

Find out more about what legal aid is and the types of case we can help with.

2.Do you qualify financially?

You can see if you are financially eligible for legal aid by using our online calculators:

• Advice and assistance calculator - for civil, criminal and children's cases
  This is the type of legal aid you usually receive at the start of your case.

• Civil legal aid calculator
  This helps pay for your solicitor to act for you in court in a civil case.

(Some of our leaflets also let you work out if you may qualify financially).

3. Find a legal aid solicitor

If you don't already have a solicitor, use our easy to use find my nearest legal aid solicitor search service.

Opponents

The opponent of someone who has applied for civil legal aid has the right to object to the application for, or grant of, civil legal aid. If you are an OPPONENT, find out about your rights in our leaflet.

4. Read more in our leaflets

You can find out more about getting legal aid in our leaflets for:

• Civil cases - read our leaflet in pdf format - A guide to civil legal aid

• Criminal cases
  
  
• If you are a child, Legal aid for children (leaflet in pdf format) explains the types of legal aid available.
  
  
• You may also find it helpful to read some common questions about legal aid.

Other information

• Our service standards tell you the level of service you can expect from us, including how long it will take us to do things.
  
  
• If you are unhappy with our services, read our leaflet on Complaints about the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
  
  

• You can also read our leaflet Access to Information about getting information from the Board under data protection and Freedom of Information laws.
  
  
• As well as our easy to use search service to find your nearest legal aid solicitor, firms of solicitors who provide legal assistance are registered with the Board. View our formal registers of the firms who undertake legal aid work.