If you need ongoing legal help, you can apply for a grant of legal assistance. A grant is money used to pay a Legal Aid or private lawyer to help you with your legal problem.
The lawyer can:
- give you legal advice
- help you reach an agreement or resolve a dispute with someone
- prepare legal documents
- speak for you in court.
You do not need to apply for a grant if you need one-off legal assistance. If you need one-off assistance, you can get free legal help without a grant through our duty services.
Is a grant free?
If you’re eligible for a grant, you may be asked to pay a low-cost contribution depending on your situation.
If you’re unable to pay the contribution, you can ask to waive it.
Am I eligible for a grant?
Anyone can apply for a grant, but we assess your eligibility using a means and merits test.
This means we look at:
- your ability to pay legal fees
- the benefit you might gain in your case compared to the cost of us assisting you
- what your case is about
- the likelihood of your case succeeding.
You can read our detailed guidelines on how we make a decision.
If you do not know if you are eligible for a grant, we strongly recommend that you apply anyway.
How long does it take to get a grant?
We aim to process a grant within 10 working days.
If your application is missing information or supporting documents, it may take longer.
I need help filling out the application form
If you need help, you can:
- contact us
- read our Applying for a grant of aid Guide
- read our Applying for a grant factsheet which explains some commonly asked questions