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Legal Aid Information
Let’s look at some legal aid information - in particular what you get, if you have to pay anything and how you arrange to receive legal aid.
If you are living on a low income or benefits, you may be able to receive free specialist advice on some issues such as benefit and tax credits, housing, employment, debt and family problems.
What You Get
Or, to put it another way, what does your legal aid award actually pay for?
Of course it all depends on how your application is judged but usually you will be eligible to receive:
• Legal advice from a solicitor
• Legal representation in court by a barrister or solicitor
• A solicitor will speak on your behalf at court (this is different from being represented by a solicitor)
• Mediation in family disputes
What Do I Pay?
If you receive legal aid then the legal Services Commission will pay your solicitors fees.
These fees are paid directly to the solicitor but, there may be instances when even if you do receive legal aid, that you may be liable to pay some fees.
This will have been pointed out before the case began and if you do need to pay some fees to your solicitor than you will usually be given the opportunity to pay by monthly instalments or until your claim is won and compensation paid.
In this case any fees owed to your solicitor will be deducted from the payout you receive.
Other Legal Aid Information
Most claims for compensation will not be paid for by legal aid and are more likely to be funded on a no win no fee arrangement. If you would like to pursue a claim for compensation, simply submit the details of the claim into the question box provided above and one of our claims experts will get in contact for free with all the information you need.
If you have another legal issue and are on a low income and think you may be entitled to legal aid you must consult a legal adviser who will assess your claim to see if you meet the eligibility criteria.
You can find a legal adviser by ringing the Community Legal Service on 0845 3454345.
The adviser will discuss with you any legal aid information you need to know and will assess your claim.
They will look at your financial circumstances (those with a monthly income of over £2435 or who have disposable capital in access of £8000 will not be entitled to legal aid) and discuss the kind of legal help you need.
You will be refused legal aid if the adviser believes that you have little chance of winning your case or that any award won by you will be less than the worth of the legal aid being given.
Your legal aid award can reviewed during your case if your financial circumstances change (with either less or more income coming in).
In some instances the legal aid can be stopped or withdrawn. This usually happens if the claimant’s income details were not fully disclosed or other information was falsely given.
If you don’t pay any fees due under your agreement than the legal aid may also be withdrawn. In many cases when legal aid is stopped you will have to repay the money spent on your case.
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