Termination of civil legal aid on change of circumstances

We may terminate a grant of legal aid under Regulation 30 of the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 2002 in the following circumstances:

  • Where it is clear your client is not financially eligible for legal aid and they can afford to proceed without legal aid.
  • Where there is no longer probable cause, or where it is no longer reasonable to give legal aid.

Termination in these circumstances does not affect your client’s status as an assisted person retrospectively. We are not entitled to recover the costs of the case, other than:

  • Any previously assessed contribution.
  • Any funds that at the conclusion of the case fall to be regarded as property recovered or preserved.
Suspension of civil legal aid: relevant scenarios and impact
Regulation 31: termination of legal aid where conduct of your client is incompatible with continued grant

In this section

Changes of circumstances and withdrawal of legal aid

Duty to report change of circumstances

Read about the duty to report change of circumstances, including examples of changes and the implications of not providing this information.

Changes of circumstances and withdrawal of legal aid

Duty to report abuse of civil legal aid

Find out about various scenarios that may comprise an abuse of civil legal aid, the duty to inform us, and client confidentiality in these circumstances.

Changes of circumstances and withdrawal of legal aid

Our power to amend financial assessment: potential scenarios

Find out about the different circumstances in which we may amend the initial financial assessment, and potential contribution implications.

Changes of circumstances and withdrawal of legal aid

Suspension of civil legal aid: relevant scenarios and impact

Find out about our power to suspend legal aid, the list of different circumstances in which this may occur, and implications for payment.

Changes of circumstances and withdrawal of legal aid

Regulation 31: termination of legal aid where conduct of your client is incompatible with continued grant

Find out about termination of legal aid based on client conduct, as well as other possible reasons for termination of legal aid.

Changes of circumstances and withdrawal of legal aid

Termination of legal aid in cases of false or incomplete information

Read about our power to terminate legal aid where the client provides false or incomplete information and the consequences for the recovery of outlays.