Civil legal aid pre-check — Scotland UK

Scotland civil legal aid has its own rules

This page concerns civil legal aid for representation, not the separate advice and assistance scheme. The Scottish Legal Aid Board applies both financial conditions and tests about the legal basis and reasonableness of funding the case. Passing the numerical pre-check does not grant legal aid.

The limits used here come from the civil keycard effective 6 April 2026, checked on 19 October 2026. The keycard and guidance should be checked again if rules change. Do not apply England and Wales monthly limits to a Scottish application.

Prepare the Scottish disposable figures

Enter assessed annual disposable income. Scottish civil assessment considers the relevant future period, permitted expenditure and household allowances; your salary or annual take-home pay alone is not the disposable figure. This calculator deliberately does not invent those deductions.

Use assessed disposable capital after the Scottish rules and applicable disregards. The main home and other assets need the correct treatment, and pensioner or disputed-resource rules may affect the assessment. Ask your solicitor or SLAB if you are unsure.

Passporting and capital discretion

The Scottish civil estimator identifies Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit as qualifying benefits. The award must cover the resources being assessed. Subject to verification, these can passport both income and capital for civil legal aid.

Pension Credit Guarantee Credit is not one of the four benefits listed for that Scottish civil passport. Selecting it therefore retains the ordinary assessed-figures checks on this page. Other disregards may still be relevant. Capital above the published upper guide is referred for discretionary assessment rather than declared an automatic refusal.

Worked example: Scottish civil limits

For assessed annual disposable income of £6,000 and assessed capital of £2,000, with no qualifying benefit passport, the result is Within standard financial limits. The displayed annual disposable income ceiling is £26,239 and the upper capital review guide is £13,017.

If assessed income stays at £6,000 but capital is £13,017.01, capital is £0.01 above that guide. The result becomes Capital requires discretionary review. It does not say the application must be refused.

Contributions and the next step

Being within limits does not mean the case will be free. Income or capital contributions and possible recovery from property obtained or preserved need a separate assessment. This calculator does not quote a contribution or instalment plan.

Use SLAB’s civil estimator or speak to a solicitor who undertakes legal aid work for the full assessment. Take evidence of income, benefit awards, capital and outgoings. Explain unusual resources or changes so the appropriate rules can be applied.

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 England & Wales, use the England & Wales 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 Scotland civil legal aid calculator