Civil representation
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
Total volume of applications received for civil representation.
| Period | Total received applications |
|---|---|
| Apr 2006 - Mar 2007 | 191,433 |
| Apr 2007 - Mar 2008 | 173,188 |
| Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 | 183,437 |
| Apr 2009 - Mar 2010 | 203,323 |
| Apr 2010 - Mar 2011 | 187,587 |
| Apr 2011 - Mar 2012 | 176,376 |
| Apr 2012 - Mar 2013 | 191,131 |
| Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 | 117,565 |
| Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 | 107,906 |
| Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 | 111,233 |
| Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 | 116,310 |
| Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 | 116,249 |
| Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | 116,687 |
| Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | 121,904 |
| Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | 117,565 |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | 114,690 |
| Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 | 114,148 |
| Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 | 115,548 |
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024
115,548
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Legal aid statistics (quarterly) publication.
Publication date
Published: 27 March 2025. Next publication: 26 June 2025 9:30am.
Total certificates granted
Total volume of certificates granted including grants for emergency certificates for civil representation. Grants are shown against the period in which the decision was made and recorded ("decision-based timing").
| Period | Total certificates granted |
|---|---|
| Apr 2006 - Mar 2007 | 157,727 |
| Apr 2007 - Mar 2008 | 144,871 |
| Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 | 152,666 |
| Apr 2009 - Mar 2010 | 168,415 |
| Apr 2010 - Mar 2011 | 153,622 |
| Apr 2011 - Mar 2012 | 148,301 |
| Apr 2012 - Mar 2013 | 150,544 |
| Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 | 108,617 |
| Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 | 92,955 |
| Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 | 100,933 |
| Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 | 107,060 |
| Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 | 111,141 |
| Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | 107,410 |
| Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | 115,797 |
| Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | 109,587 |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | 107,901 |
| Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 | 106,701 |
| Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 | 108,732 |
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024
108,732
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Legal aid statistics (quarterly) publication.
Publication date
Published: 27 March 2025. Next publication: 26 June 2025 9:30am.
Total certificates completed
Certificates completed for civil representation.
| Period | Total certificates completed |
|---|---|
| Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 | 153,223 |
| Apr 2009 - Mar 2010 | 137,545 |
| Apr 2010 - Mar 2011 | 129,331 |
| Apr 2011 - Mar 2012 | 137,907 |
| Apr 2012 - Mar 2013 | 136,913 |
| Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 | 147,238 |
| Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 | 118,363 |
| Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 | 94,177 |
| Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 | 95,943 |
| Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 | 106,723 |
| Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | 108,527 |
| Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | 108,599 |
| Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | 94,615 |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | 100,602 |
| Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 | 106,332 |
| Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 | 119,570 |
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024
119,570
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Legal aid statistics (quarterly) publication.
Publication date
Published: 27 March 2025. Next publication: 26 June 2025 9:30am.
Civil representation costs met by LAA total completed
Volume of civil representation closed cases met by LAA.
| Period | Civil representation costs met by LAA total completed |
|---|---|
| Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 | 147,223 |
| Apr 2009 - Mar 2010 | 132,690 |
| Apr 2010 - Mar 2011 | 124,658 |
| Apr 2011 - Mar 2012 | 133,665 |
| Apr 2012 - Mar 2013 | 132,885 |
| Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 | 143,265 |
| Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 | 114,415 |
| Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 | 90,648 |
| Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 | 92,878 |
| Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 | 103,787 |
| Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | 105,451 |
| Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | 105,806 |
| Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | 92,576 |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | 98,117 |
| Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 | 103,978 |
| Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 | 116,806 |
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024
116,806
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Legal aid statistics (quarterly) publication.
Publication date
Published: 27 March 2025. Next publication: 26 June 2025 9:30am.
Total applications received in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway
With effect from April 2013, the LASPO Act removed legal aid for most private family law including issues such as contact or divorce. However, legal aid remains available for such cases where there is a risk of domestic violence or child abuse.
| Period | Total applications received in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway |
|---|---|
| Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 | 6,397 |
| Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 | 7,736 |
| Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 | 8,144 |
| Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 | 10,625 |
| Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 | 11,130 |
| Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | 13,383 |
| Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | 13,830 |
| Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | 11,946 |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | 11,995 |
| Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 | 11,834 |
| Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 | 12,359 |
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024
12,359
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Legal aid statistics (quarterly) publication.
Publication date
Published: 27 March 2025. Next publication: 26 June 2025 9:30am.
Total applications granted in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway
Applicants are granted legal aid funding for these cases if they can prove the incidence or risk of domestic violence or child abuse through a range of prescribed forms of evidence.
| Period | Total applications granted in period via the domestic violence and child abuse gateway |
|---|---|
| Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 | 4,422 |
| Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 | 5,281 |
| Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 | 5,843 |
| Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 | 8,569 |
| Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 | 8,993 |
| Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 | 10,752 |
| Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 | 11,477 |
| Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 | 10,353 |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | 10,201 |
| Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 | 10,077 |
| Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 | 10,653 |
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024
10,653
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Legal aid statistics (quarterly) publication.
Publication date
Published: 27 March 2025. Next publication: 26 June 2025 9:30am.