ABSTRACT
All legal aid is means tested. Section 21(5) of the Legal Aid Act 1988 says that the applicant’s disposable income and disposable capital must be such that he requires assistance to meet the costs of the proceedings. Regulations are published each year, setting out the relevant figures for deciding whether the applicant is eligible for legal aid. Some people are simply ineligible because of their means; others qualify for all their legal costs to be met; others are granted legal aid subject to making a contribution towards their own costs.
