Quarterly legal aid statistics

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Fee payments to firms

Fee payments to firms consist of solicitor and solicitor-advocate fees and they are inclusive of VAT.

Latest quarter: Q4 2024-25 (January-March)

Bar chart showing and comparing quarter four payments to firms for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.
Table showing fees payments to firms by aid type for the fourth quarter of 2024 to 25 versus the same period last year. Payments to firms: Civil quarter 4 is £9.5 million for 2023 to 24 and £10 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 5% increase. Criminal quarter 4 is £18 million for 2023 to 24 and £19 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 4% increase. Children’s quarter 4 is £1.1 million for 2023 to 24 and £1 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 3% decrease. Total for quarter 4 is £28 million for 2023 to 24 and £30 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 4% increase overall.

Previous quarters

Q3 2024-25 (October-December)

Bar chart showing and comparing quarter three payments to firms for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.

Table showing fees payments to firms by aid type for the third quarter of 2024 versus the same period last year. Payments to firms: Civil quarter 3 is £10.7 million for 2023 to 24 and £11.4 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 6% increase. Criminal quarter three is £19 million for 2023 to 24 and £21 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 12% increase. Children’s quarter 3 is £1.1 million for 2023 to 24 and £1.3 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 14% increase. Total for quarter 3 is £31 million for 2023 to 24 and £34 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 10% increase overall.

Q2 2024-25 (July-September)

Graph image showing and comparing quarter two payments to firms for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.

Payments to firms: Civil quarter 2 is £9.6 million for 2023 to 24 and £9.8 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 2% increase. Criminal quarter 2 is £18 million for 2023 to 24 and £20 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 14% increase. Children’s quarter 2 is £1.2 million for 2023 to 24 and £1.1 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 3% decrease. Total for quarter 2 is £28 million for 2023 to 24 and £31 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 9% increasechange.

Q1 2024-25 (April-June)

Graph image showing and comparing quarter one payments to firms for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.

Payments to firms: Civil quarter 1 is £8.8 million for 2023 to 24 and £9.3 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 6% change. Criminal quarter 1 is £16 million for 2023 to 24 and £21 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 31% change. Children’s quarter 1 is £1.2 million for 2023 to 24 and £1.2 million for 2024 to 25, which is no change. Total for quarter 1 is £26 million for 2023 to 24 and £31 million for 2024 to 25, which is a 21% change.

Grants of legal aid

Latest quarter: Q4 2024-25 (January-March)

Bar chart showing and comparing quarter four legal aid grants for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.
Table showing the number of legal aid grants by aid type for Q4 2024 to 25 versus the same period last year. Civil legal aid shows an 11% decrease. Criminal shows a 13% decrease. Children's shows a 0% increase. Total for all aid types is an 11% decrease.

Previous quarters

Q3 2024-25 (October-December)

Bar chart showing and comparing quarter three legal aid grants for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.
Table showing the number of legal aid grants by aid type for Q3 2024 versus the same period last year. Civil legal aid shows an 8% decrease. Criminal shows a 6% decrease. Children's shows a 5% increase. Total for all aid types is a 6% decrease.

Q2 2024-25 (July-September)

Graph image showing and comparing quarter two legal aid grants for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.

Table showing the number of legal aid grants by aid type for Q2 2024 versus the same period last year. Civil legal aid shows a 7% decrease. Criminal shows a 4% increase. Children's show a 4% decrease. Total for all aid types is no change.

Q1 2024-25 (April-June)

Graph image showing and comparing quarter two legal aid grants for 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 25 in civil, criminal and children's legal assistance.

Table showing the number of legal aid grants by aid type for Q1 2024 versus the same period last year. Civil legal aid shows a 7% increase. Criminal shows a 1% decrease. Children's show no change. Total for all aid types is a 2% increase

Active solicitors

The number of active solicitors is based on a 12-month rolling count.

Latest count: active solicitors in the 12 months to March 2025

Bar chart showing and comparing active solicitors from March 2024 to March 2025 in civil, criminal and children’s legal assistance.
Table showing active solicitors: For civil, there were 1,041 active in March 2024 and 984 active in March 2025 which is a 5% decrease. For criminal, there were 790 active in March 2024 and 742 active in March 2025 which is a 6% decrease. For children’s, there were 373 active in March 2024 and 345 active in March 2025 which is an 8% decrease.

Previous quarters

Active solicitors in the 12 months to December 2024

Graph image showing and comparing active solicitors from December 2023 to December 2024 in civil, criminal and children’s legal assistance.
Active solicitors: For civil, there were 1,039 active in December 2023 and 997 active in December 2024 which is a 4% decrease. For criminal, there were 787 active in December 2023 and 750 active in December 2024 which is a 5% decrease. For children’s, there were 374 active in December 2023 and 344 active in December 2024 which is an 8% decrease.

Active solicitors in the 12 months to September 2024

Graph image showing and comparing active solicitors from September 2023 to September 2024 in civil, criminal and children’s legal assistance.

Active solicitors: For civil, there were 1,054 active in September 2023 and 1,012 active in September 2024 which is a 4% decrease. For criminal, there were 792 active in September 2023 and 753 active in September 2024 which is a minus 5% change. For children’s, there were 366 active in September 2023 and 352 active in September 2024 which is a 4% decrease.

Active solicitors in the 12 months to June 2024

Graph image showing and comparing active solicitors from June 2023 to June 2024 in civil, criminal and children’s legal assistance.

Active solicitors: For civil, there were 1,073 active in June 2023 and 1,018 active in June 2024 which is a minus 5% change. For criminal, there were 799 active in June 2023 and 773 active in June 2024 which is a minus 3% change. For children’s, there were 369 active in June 2023 and 360 active in June 2024 which is a minus 2% change.