Other areas covered by the system include general advice on legal matters, writing letters, negotiating, getting advice from a lawyer, and obtaining a medical report for an accident claim or benefit claim. For more information on what you may have to pay, see a brochure entitled `Civil Aid – Information for Applicants`, available on the Scottish Legal Aid Board website. Law firms offer cheaper or free legal assistance to people who may have difficulty getting legal advice. Many offer walk-in services and appointments where you can informally discuss your housing problem. Legal aid is usually provided in the following cases: The legal aid system provides publicly funded legal advice and representation to those who need it most. It is an essential element of access to justice. The type of legal aid you request depends on the type of legal assistance you need (you can discuss this with your lawyer): If you are having trouble finding a legal aid lawyer and you live in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, Argyll & Bute, Edinburgh and the Lothians or the Highlands and Islands, the Civil Legal Aid Office may be able to help you. It may be helpful to find a lawyer or, in some cases, one of their own lawyers may be able to handle your case. More information can be found on the Civil Aid website. There is a calculator tool on their website that can give you a rough estimate of your financial eligibility. If you receive a passport allowance, such as an income-related allowance for job seekers, you must automatically pass the financial test.

For certain types of criminal cases, including counselling in a police station, legal aid is automatically available to persons entitled to legal aid. If you are entitled to legal aid in criminal matters, it is always free of charge. You don`t have to pay anything for the cost of the deal. We will help you apply for legal aid in Scotland. You can get free legal advice or funding for some or all of your legal fees if you can`t afford it. Legal advice could help resolve housing issues, including: If you lose the case, you usually only have to pay the other party`s legal fees and your own lawyer`s fees. These expenses may include expert fees, accident reporting costs, official research and travel expenses. Although you don`t have to pay the lawyer`s basic fees, the expenses can be very high. You can use our eligibility assessors to find out if you are likely to be financially eligible for legal counsel. If you are charged in a solemn matter, you are automatically entitled to Legal Aid Scotland while in detention until: Specialised organisations such as housing counselling centres or financial advice centres may be able to provide specialist legal advice. Legal aid in criminal matters also depends on your financial situation.

If the cost of the case causes you or your loved ones “unreasonable” hardship, you are more likely to receive Scottish legal aid. A legal aid lawyer will help you with the application and you can find details about legal advice firms in your area in our Find a Lawyer tool. You need to be able to prove your income and all the money you have in bank or savings accounts. Ideally, you should bring this documentation with you to your first appointment. Legal aid is a fundamental part of the Scottish legal system and society. It makes access to legal representation and advice from a lawyer more affordable for those who need it. If you wish to apply for legal aid, you will need to fill out a form in which you will provide the details of the fees, your finances and the lawyer who will represent you. It is important to wait until legal aid has been granted in civil matters before asking the lawyer to do anything. The award cannot be backdated and therefore does not cover the costs of work done prior to its award. In an emergency, a lawyer may apply for immediate legal aid, which can be used to cover the delay in issuing the legal aid certificate. If you lose the case, you may be ordered to pay the other party`s legal costs if the court deems it appropriate.

Legal aid would not cover this issue. If you receive income assistance, income-related unemployment benefits or universal credit, you are automatically entitled to civil legal aid for income and savings reasons. Legal aid is the help you can sometimes get if you can`t afford to pay your own legal fees. If you are not eligible for legal aid, you may be able to enter into a speculative fee agreement (no profit, no fees) with a lawyer. If you are legally supported, you will not be able to use this type of agreement. Speculative fee agreements are allowed in any type of case, but are most often used in cases of bodily injury. The Legal Aid Business Support and Recovery Fund recognises the crucial role that legal aid companies play in the justice sector as Scotland recovers from COVID-19. It also ensures the availability of legal services to those most affected by the pandemic. Minor offences, such as traffic offences, are generally not eligible for legal aid. Legal aid is available for children or adults who need advice or representation in a hearing of children or court orders in the context of a hearing of children. This type of legal aid is different from legal aid in civil matters and has its own rules. More information on legal aid in child hearings is available on the Scottish Legal Aid Board website.

If the police contact you to participate in an interview with the police, simply call our 24-hour number for immediate free legal advice. If necessary, we can arrange one of our experienced legal aid lawyers for Scotland to come to the police station. In Scotland, anyone in detention can benefit from free legal advice. So if you are arrested or invited to participate in a police interview with the police, you have the right to bring in a lawyer and you do not have to pay for his presence at your interview. You can hire lawyers with legal aid, the most important thing is to make sure you are eligible. The Scottish Legal Aid Board will assess your financial situation and the circumstances of your case before granting legal aid.