Public Funding (Legal Aid)

We will find out at the first appointment whether or not you are eligible for Public Funding which is available at some of our offices. If you are eligible for Public Funding and certain types of work are contemplated then we may firstly have to refer you to mediation to determine whether or not the issue can be resolved by that process.

If you would like to arrange an appointment to see one of our Family Law Team to discuss this or any other family law issue, please click here or telephone one of the numbers given below.

Legal Help Scheme

If you are eligible, we will firstly sign you up to the Legal Help Scheme. This scheme allows us to provide advice and assistance in connection with a dispute but does not cover taking any steps in Court Proceedings (save for uncontested divorces).

The following are examples of work that can be carried out under the Legal Help Scheme:

Advice

Correspondence

Negotiations

Drafting of documents

Eligibility

An individual is automatically eligible for Legal Help if they are in receipt of Income Support or Income Based Job seekers allowance. Otherwise if an individual’s disposable income is no more than £621 per month then they may be eligible. If you have capital in excess of £3,000 then Legal Help is not available.

If we are unable to conclude your matter under the Legal Help Scheme or if your matter is likely to involve Court proceedings we will consider an application for Public Funding under a “Legal Aid” certificate.

Statutory Charge

If during the course of the proceedings you recover or preserve a sum or property in excess of £3,000, you will have a duty under both the Legal Help Scheme and Public Funding scheme to repay to the Legal Services Commission the costs of your case.

If you are not eligible for Public Funding, we will advise you as to the likely costs of your case and the timescale involved.

Contact Details

Sleaford	(01529) 411500	Eleanor Thornton
Grantham	(01476) 591550	Joanne Chidlow
Boston	(01205) 310025	Karen Motley
Horncastle	(01507) 522456	Robert Smith
Spalding	(01775) 725664	Peter Start
Lincoln	(01522) 814600	Jane Speed
Newark	(01636) 673731	Elaine Cargill
Stamford	(01780) 764145	David Small