Legal Aid from Peterborough CAB

What is legal aid?

Legal aid helps with the costs of legal advice for people who can't afford it. If you need help with the costs of legal advice, you can apply for legal aid. Whether you will receive it depends on:

• the type of legal problem you have;
• your income (how much you earn) and how much capital (money, property, belongings) you have;
• whether there is a reasonable chance of winning your case and whether it is worth the time and money needed to win.

What kind of problems can I get legal aid for at Peterborough CAB?

Legal aid is available for many types of civil legal problem. A civil legal case is one in which you have a dispute with a person, company or other organisation. For example, a civil problem can be to do with your:

• home or housing issues
• debt or insolvency
• difficulty receiving benefits or tax credits.

When you visit your adviser, you should take evidence of your income with you, if you can. For example, if you're:

• on income support, guaranteed pension credit or income based job seeking allowance; take your national insurance number or an up to date letter or bank statement confirming your benefits.
• employed; take your latest pay slip covering the last 5 weeks.
• self-employed; take your latest full self-assessment tax return form or latest set of accounts.

How do I find out if I can get legal aid?

People in receipt of income support, guaranteed pension credit or income based jobseekers allowance are automatically eligible for legal aid; but you will have to provide proof of your benefit entitlement.

If you are not automatically eligible because you do not receive the benefits detailed above you can use our legal aid calculator to see whether you could get legal aid for a civil case.

If you have been charged with a crime and want to know if you could get legal aid in the courts, speak to a solicitor who specialises in criminal law. You can use our directory to find one. For criminal cases, you will need to go through a means test. The website of the Legal Services Commission contains more information about means testing.

Legal Aid Calculator
Community Legal Advice website

Peterborough CAB Legal Aid Service

Peterborough CAB has a dedicated debt, housing and welfare rights service with specially trained staff who are able to offer free, confidential and impartial advice to those with financial problems, problems with housing issues or benefits problems. If you are eligible for legal aid our staff are skilled specialist advisers who will be able to assess your financial situation and present you with the options that are appropriate in your specific circumstances.

If you need help from us, your first step is to visit our ‘get advice’ page.

Do you need legal assistance?

Peterborough CAB offers a legal aid service for qualifying civil cases.

Please read though this page for full details.