Coram Children's Legal Centre

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.

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.

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.

Special educational needs, school exclusions, and disability discrimination in schools.

Education legal aid is narrowly focused on disputes that affect a child's right to access education. It covers special educational needs and disability (SEND) tribunal appeals, permanent school exclusions, and disability discrimination claims against schools and colleges. Routine school admission disputes and general education matters are not covered.