Civil legal aid pre-check — England & Wales UK

What this England and Wales check covers

Use this page for the ordinary civil financial limits in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. Criminal defence uses a separate system. Civil funding also depends on whether the legal problem is within scope and meets the relevant merits criteria. A result within financial limits is only one part of the application.

The standard route uses a monthly gross income test, a monthly disposable income test and an assessed capital test. The specified immigration option applies the lower capital ceiling only to the controlled-work immigration matters described in the official guidance. Your adviser must confirm that classification.

Use assessed figures, not take-home pay

Gross income and disposable income are different figures. Disposable income follows the scheme’s permitted deductions and household aggregation rules; it is not simply your bank balance after bills. Enter the figure prepared under the official assessment, including any partner resources that must be combined.

Disposable capital is also an assessed figure. Property interests, mortgage deductions, disputed assets, compensation and pensioner disregards can change it. Do not enter all savings and property at face value, or assume that all home equity is exempt. If you need those calculations, use the official service with an adviser.

Benefits and exceptional circumstances

Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit Guarantee Credit may passport the income test. The ordinary capital test still applies. New Style or contribution-based JSA and ESA, Pension Savings Credit and tax credits alone are not those passporting benefits.

Some proceedings do not require ordinary means testing, and protection from domestic abuse or forced marriage may involve waivers. The unsure option gives a referral result rather than treating a high income or capital figure as a final refusal. A provider must check your particular proceeding and evidence.

Worked example: ordinary civil means

With assessed gross monthly income of £2,400, no child dependants, assessed disposable monthly income of £500 and assessed capital of £2,000, the calculator shows Within standard financial limits. The standard ceilings shown are £2,657 gross monthly income, £733 disposable monthly income and £8,000 capital.

For five child dependants, the gross monthly ceiling becomes £2,879: £2,657 plus £222 for the fifth child. This adjustment is only for the gross test. It does not calculate the separate dependant deductions used to arrive at disposable income.

After the pre-check

Ask a legal aid provider to confirm the assessment and whether your case is in scope. Keep current benefit awards, payslips, bank statements and documents about property and liabilities. The provider can explain any contribution or statutory charge; this calculator does not estimate either amount.

A result above a standard limit is not a decision about exceptional funding, a waiver or a proceeding with different means rules. Use the official service and disclose those circumstances instead of abandoning an application solely because of this pre-check.

Choose the correct UK jurisdiction

Use the page for the legal system dealing with your case. Each page has its own assessed-resource rules and local application guidance.

For a case governed by Scotland, use the Scotland civil legal aid pre-check and follow that jurisdiction’s assessment guidance.

For a case governed by Northern Ireland, use the Northern Ireland civil legal aid pre-check and follow that jurisdiction’s assessment guidance.

Inputs for the England & Wales civil legal aid calculator