Legal aid is available to children or adults who need advice or representation in the context of a hearing of children or court orders relating to the hearing of children. This type of legal aid differs from legal aid in civil matters and has its own rules. For more information on legal aid in relation to hearings involving children, visit the Scottish Legal Aid Board website. If the case can only be resolved through legal proceedings and the case cannot be covered by ABWOR, the lawyer may suggest that you apply for legal aid in civil cases (see section on civil legal aid) or legal aid (see under Legal aid for criminal proceedings). Examples of cases covered by civil legal aid include: Changes to the benefit system currently implemented under the Social Assistance Reform Act, 2012 mean that a number of benefits that have been used in the past as administrative markers to « shift » applicants to certain parts of the criminal and civil legal aid means test (i.e. Non-contributory legal aid will be gradually replaced by Universal Credit. If you are receiving income assistance, income-related jobseeker`s allowance, employment and income-related support benefit, or Universal Credit, you are entitled to free legal advice and assistance, unless you have savings above the limit. The counselling and support program provides low-income individuals with free legal advice and support from a lawyer. Other areas covered by the program include general advice on legal matters, writing letters, hearings, obtaining a lawyer`s opinion, and obtaining medical advice for an accident claim or compensation claim. Legal aid does not include representation in most courts or for simple proceedings in the sheriff`s court up to a value of £3,000. However, you may be entitled to assistance with legal fees related to the preparation of a case under the advice and support programme (see under Advice and Support).

If you do not qualify for legal aid, you may be able to enter into a speculative fee agreement (no profit, no fees) with a lawyer. If you are legally supported, you cannot use this type of agreement. Speculative fee agreements are allowed in any type of case, but are most often used in cases of bodily injury. Depending on the nature of the case, a person may receive legal aid from other sources. Some of them are listed below. If your situation changes during the period in which you have received legal aid, for example because you get a job or inherit money, you should contact the Legal Aid Committee immediately, as you may be asked to contribute more to the case. If you receive income support, income-related jobseeker`s allowance or universal credit, you are automatically entitled to civil legal aid for reasons of income and savings. If you are unable to get legal help, you may want to ask for free advice from: You will only receive advice on whether or not you can get legal help – you will not receive a final decision until you speak to a counsellor. You should apply through a lawyer who provides legal aid. You will need to fill out an application form that includes details about your income and savings. The lawyer will then send the form to the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

If legal aid is granted, the Scottish Legal Aid Board will tell you what the contribution will be. Contributions are generally made in instalments over a period of 10, 15 or 20 months, depending on the amount of contribution to be made. As a rule, if the contribution is to be paid from savings, everything is paid immediately. Civil cases include things like debt, family or housing issues. To get legal aid, you usually have to prove that you cannot afford to pay the court fees and that your problem is serious. You can find out which lawyers in your area offer legal aid via a Solicitor Finder tool on the Scottish Legal Aid Board website. You can also pay for advice from a legal advisor or local lawyer. If you want to apply for legal aid, you must fill out a form that shows the charge, your finances and the lawyer who will represent you.

Qualified lawyers are not the only professionals who offer legal advice as part of their practice, although only lawyers are allowed to initiate legal proceedings and represent you in court. Accountants, for example, advise on tax and corporate law, and banks can draw up wills or act as executors of the estate (although they may charge more for these services than lawyers). There are seven Public Defence Solicitors` Offices (PDSOs) in Scotland: Ayr, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Inverness and Kirkwall. Their lawyers can advise and represent clients eligible for criminal legal aid in all types of criminal matters at any level of jurisdiction across the country. Legal aid is generally granted in the following cases: You automatically receive legal aid for legal representation before the courts if you are under 16 (or if you are under 18 and in full-time education) or if you receive certain benefits. Trade unions can offer free legal representation in legal proceedings relating to industrial accidents or employment problems.