If you think you may have trouble paying your legal costs in any family law case, legal aid (now known as public funding) may be available. We work in partnership with the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to try to ensure that no-one is denied access to justice simply because they can’t afford it.

Receiving legal aid usually depends on the strength of your case and on your financial circumstances. If you earn too much, or have too much savings or equity in your home, you may not be eligible. You can check out your eligibility using the LSC's online eligibility calculator or alternatively just ask us.

It’s important to remember that legal aid isn’t always “free”. You will have to pay back your legal costs to the Legal Services Commission at the end of your case if you have been successful in either recovering, or retaining, any of the money or property that was in dispute in the case.

In care proceedings and some other Social Services cases, the parents, and anyone else who has parental responsibility for the children involved, are entitled to free legal aid whatever the strength of their case or their financial circumstances. 

Find out more on the Legal Services Commission website :http://www.legalservices.gov.uk