Legal aid data
Legal aid can help meet the costs of legal advice, family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal.
You’ll usually need to show that:
- your case is eligible for legal aid
- the problem is serious
- you cannot afford to pay for legal costs
Legal aid overview
Closed-case measure of expenditure - nominal terms (£m)
2025-26 (source). 'nominal terms' means not adjusted for inflation.
RDEL (resource departmental expenditure limit) (£m)
2024-25 (source). 2026 Figures released after LAA accounts laid before parliament.
This area covers work carried out by legal aid providers at police stations and in magistrates' courts in relation to people accused of or charged with criminal offences. Prison law is also included within the latter category.
Magistrates court representation
288,922
Value for 2025-26. View time series for magistrates court representation
Advice & assistance on appeals
493
Value for 2025-26. View time series for advice & assistance on appeals
Civil work associated with crime cases
73
Value for 2025-26. View time series for civil work associated with crime cases
Total legal aid expenditure - crime lower (£'000)
358,824
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total legal aid expenditure - crime lower (£'000)
Information is provided on legal representation in the Crown Court and above. This includes, Crown Court cases (typically solicitor prepares case for trial and barrister or solicitor advocate provides representation), Very High Cost Cases (extensive evidence reviewed and case prepared by solicitor where the senior counsel (QC) often presents).
See Legal aid statistics quarterly for further information.
Some figures for 2025-26 are not currently available due to the cyber-attack in May 2025.
Higher courts volume of completed cases and claims
3,233
Value for 2025-26. View time series for higher courts volume of completed cases and claims
Litigator graduated fee scheme (LGFS)
92,529
Value for 2025-26. View time series for litigator graduated fee scheme (LGFS)
Advocate Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS)
91,698
Value for 2025-26. View time series for advocate graduated fee scheme (AGFS)
Total higher courts value (£'000)
9,354
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total higher courts value (£'000)
Litigator graduated fee scheme (LGFS) value (£'000)
439,871
Value for 2025-26. View time series for litigator graduated fee scheme (LGFS) value (£'000)
Advocate Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) value (£'000)
286,947
Value for 2025-26. View time series for advocate graduated fee scheme (AGFS) value (£'000)
Very high cost crime value (£'000)
-
Value for 2025-26. View time series for very high cost crime value (£'000)
Litigator legacy (pre 2008) & discretionary
3,506
Value for 2025-26. View time series for litigator legacy (pre 2008) & discretionary
Advocate legacy (pre 2005) & discretionary
1,912
Value for 2025-26. View time series for advocate legacy (pre 2005) & discretionary
Total legal aid expenditure - crime higher (£'000)
743,898
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total legal aid expenditure - crime higher (£'000)
This is a form of civil legal services which includes advice and assistance about a legal problem, but does not include representation or advocacy in proceedings. It is usually the first point of civil legal advice and can be over the telelphone or face-to-face.
See Legal aid statistics quarterly for further information.
Some figures for 2025-26 are not currently available due to the cyber-attack in May 2025.
Total volume of claims submitted
162,460
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total volume of claims submitted
Housing Possession court duty scheme (HPCDS) starts
31,369
Value for 2025-26. View time series for housing possession court duty scheme (HPCDS) starts
Total value (£'000) of claims submitted
102,972
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total value (£'000) of claims submitted
Civil Representation is representation by solicitors and barristers for civil cases, which could go to court. Many legal help cases will extend to civil representation with full investigations undertaken or in court representation given although it is possible enter straight into civil representation.
Total received applications
113,008
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total received applications
Total certificates granted
103,117
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total certificates granted
Total certificates completed
68,401
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total certificates completed
Civil representation costs met by LAA total completed
67,272
Value for 2025-26. View time series for civil representation costs met by LAA total completed
Total applications received in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway
11,312
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total applications received in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway
Total applications granted in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway
9,867
Value for 2025-26. View time series for total applications granted in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway
Family mediation involves an independent and impartial professionally accredited mediator discussing problems with a divorcing or separating couple in an attempt to reach agreement without using the courts.
See Legal aid statistics quarterly for further information.
Some figures for 2025-26 are not currently available due to the cyber-attack in May 2025.
This scheme was introduced in April 2013 for clients whose case falls outside the scope of legal aid, but failure to grant funding could breach their human rights or EU legal rights. The same means and merits criteria apply as for legal aid, but there is an additional ECF merits criteria to be met.