Eligibility for Legal Aid
Eligibility for Legal Aid During our initial meeting we will calculate whether you are eligible for legal aid. To be eligible for legal aid you must either:
- Be in receipt of Universal Credit, Income Support, Income Based Job Seeker’s Allowance, Guaranteed State Pension Credit or income based Employment and Support Allowance.
- Or have disposable income (money left after paying living expenses) and disposable capital (money, investments or property you could use or sell to pay for legal help) below certain levels.
If you are currently living with a partner who is not the person with whom you are in dispute, then your current partner’s disposable income and capital will also be taken into account.
Please bring the following documents with you to enable me to assess your eligibility for legal aid:
A bank statement showing your income and expenditure over the past month including payments made for mortgage, rent, maintenance and child care; if these are not clearly shown in the statement you will need a letter or some other document confirming that you are making the payment.
If you are in receipt of benefits a letter confirming that you are in receipt of each benefit, unless the benefit can be clearly identified from your bank statement;
If you are employed, your pay slip(s) for the past month;
If you are self employed evidence of the drawings you have taken from your business over the past month (e.g. a bank statement covering that period), and a copy of your most recent tax assessment (i.e. for the last tax year).
If you are currently living with a partner, I will also need details of their income and capital, and the documentation detailed above evidencing those details.
Further information about eligibility for legal aid can be found on the Community Legal Service’s website at www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk