The Civil and Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Contribution Orders) (Amendment) Regulations 2024
Summary:
The Civil and Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Contribution Orders) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (the “Regulations”) amend the Civil and Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Contribution Orders) Regulations 2012 (the “2012 Regulations”). The Regulations increase the financial eligibility thresholds for legal aid in civil and criminal cases, and make changes to the way that contributions towards legal aid are calculated.
Key Changes:
- Increased financial eligibility thresholds: The Regulations increase the financial eligibility thresholds for legal aid in both civil and criminal cases. The new thresholds are:
- Civil cases: £34,000 (disposable income) or £17,500 (disposable capital)
- Criminal cases: £26,500 (disposable income) or £16,000 (disposable capital)
- Changes to contribution calculations: The Regulations change the way that contributions towards legal aid are calculated. The new rules apply to applications made on or after 1 November 2024. Key changes include:
- The calculation of disposable income and capital will be based on the applicant’s income and capital in the preceding financial year.
- The contribution for disposable income will be calculated using a sliding scale, with the percentage of income payable increasing as the applicant’s income increases.
- The contribution for disposable capital will be calculated as a fixed percentage (25%) of the applicant’s disposable capital.
- Other changes: The Regulations also make other minor changes to the 2012 Regulations, including:
- Expanding the definition of “dependants” for the purposes of calculating disposable income.
- Removing the requirement for applicants to provide evidence of their financial resources in certain cases.
Impact:
The Regulations will have a significant impact on the provision of legal aid in England and Wales. The increased financial eligibility thresholds will mean that more people will be eligible for legal aid. The changes to the way that contributions towards legal aid are calculated will mean that some applicants will have to pay more towards their legal costs.
Conclusion:
The Civil and Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Contribution Orders) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 are significant legislation that will have a major impact on the provision of legal aid in England and Wales. The increased financial eligibility thresholds will make it easier for people to access legal aid, but the changes to the way that contributions are calculated will mean that some applicants will have to pay more towards their legal costs. It remains to be seen how the Regulations will be implemented in practice and what the long-term impact will be on the legal aid system.
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
UK New Legislation a new article on 2024-10-30 11:20 titled “The Civil and Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Contribution Orders) (Amendment) Regulations 2024”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
91