FAQs

Legal aid provides payment to your solicitors by the government.

There are different rules and criteria for different types of cases. For example, everybody is entitled to free and independent legal advice at a police station if you are arrested or interviewed a suspect under caution. However, if you are charged, summoned, or served with a postal requisition this means that you will need to appear initially before the Magistrates Court. 

Legal aid in the Magistrates Court is dependent firstly upon passing the “interests of justice test” which considers the merits of the case and other criteria and secondly on your financial circumstances, therefore if your income is below a certain threshold, you will be entitled to legal aid. Whether you are at risk of losing your liberty, livelihood, suffer serious damage to your reputation or a substantial question of law is involved are a few of the examples. If you wish to explore this further, then please do not hesitate to contact us.  

Yes, legal aid at a police station is not means tested and therefore everybody who is to be interviewed under caution is entitled to free legal advice in interview, either at a police station or by a police officer at another location such as at a home address. 

The advice can come from either a duty solicitor or a solicitor of your choice providing the company holds a contract with the legal aid agency. Legal aid is also available for other interviews under caution such as those conducted by customs officers. 

Expert advice at the police station is crucial and the right advice can often make the difference between being charged or not. If you are employed and charged with an offence you may have to disclose this to your employer and face the consequences of being suspended pending the result of any court case or, at worse, dismissed. For more information as to why the right advice is so important please contact us.

Riaz Law Solicitors are criminal defence experts and can provide you with specialist advice and representation at the police station from one of our experienced solicitors, legal executives, or police station accredited representatives. 

If you are under 18 or if you receive any of the following benefits you are automatically eligible for legal aid: 

• income support 
• income-based job seekers allowance 
• guarantee state pension credit 
• income-based employment support allowance, or 
• universal credit

If you have an income greater than £12,475 it is unlikely that you will be eligible for legal aid in the Magistrates Court but if your case is sent to the Crown Court, you are likely to be eligible for legal aid once the case is sent. You may have to pay a contribution depending upon your income and other financial factors.

You can check if you are eligible using the online financial eligibility calculator on the legal aid agency website.  

If you are under 18 or if you receive any of the following benefits you are automatically eligible for legal aid and won’t have to make any contribution:

• income support 
• income-based job seekers allowance 
• guarantee state pension credit 
• income-based employment support allowance, or 
• universal credit