A Brief Review of the Legal Aid Services in the UK
Many people in the United Kingdom who cannot afford legal representation often resort to legal aid services. Legal aid offers access to justice to the people who really need it. It ensures equality before the law, the right to fair trial and the right to counsel. There are a large number of legal aid solicitors offering legal advice in the United Kingdom.
Why was Legal Aid Introduced?
Legal aid was introduced with the sole aim to help the people who are yearning to avail justice but cannot have access to justice due to limited budget. Before the introduction of legal aid, many people in the United Kingdom would hesitate to go to the court because of the high legal costs. Special public funds created by the UK government and operated by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) funds the financial support for legal aid.
When Was Legal Aid Introduced in the UK?
Legal aid was first introduced by the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 in the United Kingdom. Now-a-days, 30% of the adults in the country can avail the legal aid services, provided they show that they are eligible for enjoying the legal aid. The legal aid services are offered by the government to make sure that the rights of the individuals are appropriately maintained and to ensure that they can enjoy fair legal representation in case of a dispute.
A Legal Aid Solicitor Can Help You Win Claims
A Legal aid solicitor is a highly trained legal professional who has the educational qualification to file cases in the court of law. He works for the Government of the United Kingdom and represents those people who do not have the affordability to avail the services of a solicitor to acquire legal advices and come out of legal crisis. If you are looking for a lawyer to represent your case but cannot afford one, a Legal Aid solicitor might help you.
Legal aid lawyers help the people planning to file personal injury claims ranging from work accident injuries, road accident claims and slips and trips. They also provide claim related suggestions for medical negligence.
Who Can Avail Legal Aid Services?
People belonging to the low income group are eligible to avail legal aid services. The fundamental rule is that the people with a gross annual income of more than £31,884 cannot enjoy legal aid services. It should also include the income of the partner, if the claimant is living together with his partner. People with a gross income lesser than £31,884 a year might not be eligible for legal aid in certain instances. The disposable income of the claimant will be calculated. After deductions for national insurance, child support and tax, the disposable income should be lesser than £8,796 a year to become eligible for legal aid. Your disposable capital will be considered unless you are getting income support or like benefits. Those having more than £8,000 in capital will not be considered eligible for the legal aid.
