Legal Aid is available for people who need legal advice or assistance but are unable to pay for a lawyer themselves. The money comes from the Government and is administered by the Legal Aid Agency.
The rules around legal aid for family law are complicated. Find out if you can get legal aid for your case. You can contact our confidential helpline for further advice related to your case.
There are some types of cases where it is possible to get legal aid. The types of cases are:
• Applications for non-molestation and occupation orders
• Applications for restraining orders under the Protection From Harassment Act 1997
• Applications for forced marriage protection orders
• Applications for female genital mutilation protection orders
• Applications for orders in relation to children who have been abducted or unlawfully removed or where you fear they may be abducted or unlawfully removed but the application is not made under an international convention.
In cases of domestic violence or forced marriage, you may be asked to pay a contribution if the Legal Aid Agency
assesses your income or capital to be over their threshold. You should speak to a legal aid solicitor and they will be able to tell you how much the contribution is likely to be so you can decide whether you can afford it.
In some types of cases, you will be required to provide evidence that you have been, or are at risk of being, a victim of domestic abuse. Find out what type of evidence you can use.