Work out who qualifies for civil legal aid

Overview

The rules about who qualifies for legal aid are set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) and regulations.

Lord Chancellor's guidance (under section 4 of LASPO) (May 2025) (PDF, 645 KB, 68 pages) is also available to help determine who qualifies for legal aid.

You’ll need to consider:

• scope - whether the case is one for which legal aid is available
• merits - the likelihood of your client being successful
• means - your client’s financial eligibility

Civil Legal Advice

You should direct clients with debt, discrimination or education problems - who need initial advice and assistance (known as legal help) - to the Civil Legal Advice (CLA) service unless they’re exempt as set out in part 2 of the Civil Legal Aid Procedure Regulations 2012. Find more information in CLA provider guidance. Leaflets for members of the public and guidance for advice practitioners are available to download below.

Scope

You can only provide civil legal aid to cover specific types of civil dispute as set out in Schedule 1, LASPO. For further guidance on the legal aid reform changes read Legal aid reform frequently asked questions (PDF, 479 KB, 24 pages).

Legal aid may be available in other exceptional circumstances: you can make an application to the exceptional case funding team. Read more guidance on exceptional case funding. Your client must still meet the merits and means criteria.

For further guidance please read Scope of family proceedings under the legal aid, sentencing and punishment of offenders act 2012 (May 2025) (PDF, 164 KB, 7 pages).

Merits

You must consider the merits of the case including the likelihood of success and benefit to the client before you make an application on behalf of your client. Merits are covered in full in Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations 2013 and subsequent amendments.

Information is also available in Lord Chancellor’s guidance (see above).

Means

In most cases you’ll also need to complete a financial eligibility check on your client to see if they qualify for legal aid as set out in Civil Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Payment for Services) Regulations 2013 and subsequent amendments.

Read more guidance on civil legal aid means testing and financial eligibility.

Find financial assessment forms, and read guidance and a checklist for civil legal aid financial assessment forms.

Check if your client qualifies for legal aid

Check if your client qualifies for civil legal aid. This service assesses whether your client’s case is likely to meet the financial criteria for legal aid. It cannot tell you if the merits or the type of case puts it in scope for civil legal aid.

Make an application

Apply for civil legal aid - including guidance on applications, how to deal with specialist cases and access to Legal Aid Agency (LAA) forms.

Further civil legal aid regulations and orders

Tables of delegated authorities

These tables set out the areas where the Lord Chancellor and/or Director of Legal Aid Casework have delegated their functions under the civil legal aid legislation to others e.g. the Legal Aid Agency.

The tables were updated on 1 September 2018 to include restrictions on a provider’s power to determine applications for emergency representation in judicial review cases to the relevant parts of these authorisations as opposed to sitting in the contract specification.  These tables apply to both the 2018 Standard Civil Contract and the 2024 Standard Civil Contract.

Clarification on immigration funding in trafficking cases

Criminal legal aid

Civil legal aid covers disputes with another person, company or organisation. Legal aid may also available for the representation of criminal matters.