Bindmans LLP

Defence representation for people arrested, charged, or facing prosecution, including police station, magistrates court, and Crown Court work.

Criminal legal aid covers the cost of a solicitor when you have been arrested, charged with a crime, or are facing prosecution. The duty solicitor scheme means anyone arrested can ask for a free solicitor at the police station regardless of income, with no means test. Once a case reaches court, eligibility for representation is means and merits tested.

Family law support where there is documented domestic abuse, plus care proceedings, child protection, forced marriage, and international child abduction.

Family legal aid covers domestic abuse, child protection (including care proceedings), forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and international child abduction. Routine divorce and child arrangements are generally not covered by legal aid since the 2013 LASPO reforms unless there is evidence of domestic abuse. Care proceedings are non-means-tested for parents; other family legal aid is means and merits tested.

Legal support for people identified as potential victims of trafficking or modern slavery.

Modern Slavery legal aid covers people identified or being assessed as potential victims of trafficking or modern slavery, including referral through the National Referral Mechanism, related immigration matters, and damages claims arising from their exploitation. The contract was significantly expanded after the Modern Slavery Act 2015, with its own dedicated allocation. Specialist providers handle most cases.

Help with priority debts that put your home or essentials at risk.

Debt legal aid is restricted to priority debts where someone is at immediate risk of losing their home, essential utilities, or significant assets. It covers mortgage and rent arrears leading to possession proceedings, bailiff action on essential household goods, and bankruptcy proceedings against the family home. Routine consumer debt and credit-card arrears are not covered by legal aid; free advice for those is available through Citizens Advice and StepChange.

Possession proceedings, unlawful eviction, serious disrepair, and homelessness reviews.

Housing legal aid covers urgent threats to a person's home, including mortgage and rent possession proceedings, unlawful eviction, serious disrepair posing a health risk, and reviews of homelessness decisions where the local authority has refused to house someone. Defence against anti-social behaviour proceedings and disrepair counter-claims are also in scope. Funding is means and merits tested.

Asylum claims and a limited set of immigration matters where legal aid remains available.

Immigration and asylum legal aid is largely restricted to asylum claims, immigration detention bail applications, trafficking and modern slavery cases, and a narrow set of family reunion matters. Most other immigration work (visa applications, settlement, partner and family routes) is not covered by legal aid since the 2013 reforms. Asylum work remains a substantial area of legal aid; immigration detention work is non-means-tested.

Judicial review challenges against decisions made by public bodies.

Public Law legal aid covers judicial review, where someone seeks to overturn a decision by a public body (central or local government, the NHS, regulators) on the grounds that it was unlawful, irrational, or made through an unfair process. Cases often involve immigration, social care, housing allocation, and human rights matters. Funding is means and merits tested; the merits test is strict given the specialist and often expensive nature of the work.

Representation at Mental Health Tribunal hearings and related capacity matters.

Mental Health legal aid covers representation at Mental Health Tribunal hearings, where patients detained under the Mental Health Act can challenge their detention and treatment. It also covers Court of Protection cases concerning deprivation of liberty for people who lack capacity. Representation at tribunal is non-means-tested when challenging detention; other contexts are means tested.

Disputes over adult social care, support packages, and care home funding.

Community Care legal aid covers disputes about the social care services a local authority provides to adults with disabilities, mental health needs, or other long-term care needs. Common issues include assessment refusals, inadequate care packages, care home funding decisions, and disputes about ongoing care responsibilities. Cases are usually challenged through judicial review.

Civil claims against councils, the NHS, the police, or other public bodies for wrongful acts.

Claims Against Public Authorities covers civil compensation claims where a public body, such as a local council, the NHS, the police, or central government, has caused harm through misconduct, negligence, or breach of a duty. Examples include unlawful detention, social services failings, school exclusion errors, and serious data breaches by public bodies. Legal aid for these claims is means and merits tested.

Compensation claims for harm caused by medical treatment.

Clinical Negligence covers compensation claims for harm caused by medical treatment that fell below a reasonable standard, including misdiagnosis, surgical errors, birth injuries, and medication mistakes, in either the NHS or private practice. Legal aid for clinical negligence is now highly restricted and mainly covers severe brain injury caused at or around birth. Most other clinical negligence cases are handled by no-win-no-fee solicitors outside the legal aid system.