Legal Aid is used to help meet the costs of legal advice, family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal.
However, not everyone is eligible.
You would usually need to show that your case is eligible for Legal Aid, that the problem is serious, and that you cannot afford to pay your legal costs.
Examples of when you may be entitled to Legal Aid are:
- You or your family are at risk of abuse or serious harm
- You’re at risk of homelessness or losing your home
- You’ve been accused of a crime, face prison or detention
- You’ve been discriminated against
- You need family mediation
However, your eligibility will depend on the type of case and your financial circumstances.
At Bromleys Solicitors LLP, we are able to offer Legal Aid to certain eligible individuals in care proceedings and private family proceedings.
If you are seeking Legal Aid for private family proceedings, you have to meet the following criteria:
- Merit Test:
This is where you must show evidence to confirm either yourself or your child has been a victim of domestic abuse/violence. This evidence can be from a local authority, GP, domestic abuse support organisation or the police.
- Means Test:
You must show evidence that you are unable to pay your legal fees yourself. In private family proceedings, you have to show you are receive a monthly income of less than £733, you have savings of less than £8,000, and you do not own any property which has equity of over £100,000.
However, if you are seeking urgent assistance for domestic abuse such as a non-molestation order or an occupation order, you only need to meet the means test.
How we can help
If you are seeking legal help and believe you may qualify for Legal Aid, please contact our experts today on our dedicated helpline 0161 331 3887 to complete a full assessment, and we will provide you with further assistance.
We offer a free 30-minute consultation and therefore will be able to provide some advice at no cost, should you be ineligible for Legal Aid but are urgently seeking some legal assistance.