If you're on a low income, you might be eligible for legal aid - which means we could help with your housing problem at no cost to you.

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• Possession of a rented home – e.g. eviction from rented accommodation because of rent arrears, antisocial behaviour etc

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• Unlawful eviction – taking proceedings against landlords who have evicted you from your home without a court order

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• Homelessness – advice and assistance on homeless decisions, eligibility and the allocation of accommodation in discharge of a local authorities homeless duties

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• Disrepair –  were repair works need to be carried out and in circumstances where the disrepair poses a serious risk of harm to the health or safety of the tenant and/or their family

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• Anti-social Behaviour – defending claims against individuals for injunctions brought by social landlords under s.153 of the housing Act 1996 and also injunctions sought under section 1B of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 and Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

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• Those who are at risk of losing the home they own e.g. a creditor is making you bankrupt or taking court action to evict you from your home

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Please read below guidance to ascertain whether you would be eligible for legal aid and whether your issue is something that can be covered by legal aid. 

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The below issues can be covered by legal aid:

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• homelessness

• allocations (if homeless/threatened with homelessness)

• community care

• county court duty schemes

• accommodation provision to asylum seekers

• repossession of a rented home (ie not owner-occupied properties)

• lawful and unlawful eviction from the home (but squatters are excluded)

• injunctions relating to harassment in the home

• antisocial behaviour cases in the county court

• disrepair, but only in relation to the removal or reduction of a serious risk of harm to the health or safety of the occupiers (claim for damages are out of scope, save as a counterclaim in possession proceedings)

• judicial review

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In order to qualify for legal aid your capital and income must not exceed a certain amount. Both yours and your partner's resources are taken into consideration, even if one partner is in prison or living elsewhere, unless there has been an irretrievable breakdown in the relationship. 

If you have more than £8000 in capital you are not financially eligible for legal aid. 

 

If your monthly income after deducting basic living expenses and allowances for a partner and children is not over £733 per calendar month you may be entitled to legal aid. 

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If you are in receipt of the following benefits you automatically satisfy the gross and disposable income limits, but your capital will still need to be assessed:

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• income support (IS)

• income-based job seeker's allowance (JSA)

• income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)

• guarantee credit element of Pension Credit (GC)

• universal credit (UC).

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Individuals in receipt of asylum support from the UK Border Agency (ie NASS support) automatically satisfy both the income and capital tests when applying for Legal Help and/or Help at Court in asylum and immigration.

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Check to see if you are eligible for legal aid.

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