Legal aid allows people who would not otherwise be able to afford it to get help for their legal problems.

The Scottish Legal Aid Board can provide funding to help people who qualify to get legal advice and “representation” (where a solicitor puts their case in court).

• Civil legal assistance helps people to get legal advice and “representation", in civil cases
  
  
• Criminal legal assistance helps people who have been charged with a criminal offence to get legal advice and "representation."

Civil legal assistance includes advice and assistance and civil legal aid. Similarly, criminal legal assistance is advice and assistance and criminal legal aid.

The opponent of someone who has applied for civil legal aid has the right to object to the application for, or grant of, civil legal aid.

You can:

• Read our introduction about legal assistance through legal aid
  

• Find out more about CIVIL legal assistance, and if you may qualify, including our leaflets and financial eligibility calculator
  
  
• Read more about CRIMINAL legal assistance, including our leaflets
  
  
• If you are an OPPONENT, find out about your rights
  
  
• If you are a child, read our leaflet Legal aid for children which explains the types of legal aid available
  
  
• Use our online calculators to see if you may qualify financially for advice and assistance or civil legal aid
  
  
• Find a legal aid solicitor - see below
  
  
• Our service standards tell you the level of service you can expect from us, including how long it will take us to do things. If you are unhappy with our services, read our leaflet on Complaints about the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
  
• Law Society of Scotland - solicitor standards
  The Law Society Of Scotland are currently running a consultation on the standards for the solicitor profession - read more and give your views on the Society's website.
  
  
• You can also read our leaflet Access to Information about getting information from the Board under data protection and Freedom of Information laws.
  
  
• You may also like to view some common questions about legal aid.
  
  

Finding a legal aid solicitor

Use our easy to use search service to find the nearest solicitor firm to you. We have recently made changes to improve the information available - for example you can now search by the type of civil case and obtain additional contact information for solicitor offices. You can also get a location map sent to your mobile phone or travel directions.

Firms of solicitors who provide legal assistance are registered with the Board. You can also view our formal registers of the firms who undertake legal aid work.

Legal Aid Helpline

To find out more about legal aid and if you may qualify, or where to find a legal aid solicitor or order our leaflets you can also call our Legal Aid Helpline on 0845 122 8686. It is open 7 days a week 7am to 11pm.

Please note that we do not provide legal advice.