Information for applicants

Applying for legal aid: step by step

Find out more about what applying for legal aid involves

If you have questions about the application procedure, filling in forms or the types of documents you need to send, ask your solicitor or contact us.

We can’t give legal advice. we can only give information on applying for legal aid.

If you want advice specific to your case you will need to speak to your solicitor.

STEP 1: Your first appointment with a solicitor

  • What to take to your solicitor appointment
  • Why do you need to tell us about your finances?
  • What can happen if information is missing or wrong
  • What can you expect from your solicitor?

Applicants: your equality data

See information on what equality data is and why we ask you for it

STEP 2: Assessing your eligibility

You'll usually need to show that you can't afford to pay for legal help yourself and your problem is serious. You may have to pay some money towards the legal costs of your case, or pay costs back later. You might not need to pay anything at all, depending on your financial position and the type of legal help you need.

  • What we must check to see if you are eligible for legal aid
  • How we calculate your income and capital in a civil application
  • How we calculate your income and capital in a children’s application
  • How we calculate your income and capital in a criminal application
  • Is it only your income and capital we need to know about?
  • The other tests for civil legal aid apart from financial
  • The other tests for summary criminal legal aid apart from financial
  • The other tests for children’s legal aid apart from financial
  • What if your circumstances change?

STEP 3: Once your application is submitted

  • How long does an application take?
  • What if your application for legal aid is refused?
  • What if you aren’t eligible for legal aid?
  • How will we use the information you give us?

STEP 4: How we will contact you - and how you can contact us

  • Information and your solicitor
  • How we will tell you about your legal aid

STEP 5: Paying towards the cost of your case

  • Will you have to pay anything for your case?
  • What’s the most you may have to pay for civil legal aid?

STEP 6: Once the case is underway

Not sure about legal aid words and terms?

Glossary and terms

Learn about some of the words, terms and acronyms used by us and your solicitor in legal aid cases.