Legal aid used to be widely available, but changes to the law in 2013 mean that very few people can now get Legal Aid for private family law disputes:
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Private family law disputes are those that do not involve the state. For example, how money is divided in a divorce.
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Public family law disputes involve the state. For example, children being taken into care.
Legal aid is easier to obtain for public family law issues than for private family law issues. For private family cases, it is generally only available if someone is a victim of domestic abuse or the case is about child abduction.
To get legal aid, you usually have to show you cannot pay.
If you are able to get legal aid, it may not cover all of your costs. You may also have to pay it back from any money or property you receive from your court case.
You can check if you can get legal aid on the government website.
If you, or anyone you know, is suffering from domestic abuse there are lots of resources that can provide help. We have included the details of some organisations in this article: Where to find domestic abuse help
If there is an immediate risk of domestic abuse, you should call the police on 999.
