Can I get legal aid for domestic abuse?
Yes, across the UK, if you can show evidence of abuse and pass a means test. What counts as evidence, what it covers, and how to find a solicitor.
Yes. Legal aid for family law in England and Wales was cut back heavily in 2013, but domestic abuse is the main exception, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes. If you have been abused by a partner or ex-partner, you may be able to get a solicitor paid for, in full or in part, for divorce, money, children and protective orders. The two tests are evidence and means.
England and Wales
The evidence test. You need one piece of evidence from an approved list. The list was widened in 2018 and includes:
- A letter from a GP, nurse, midwife, health visitor or other health professional confirming injuries or a condition consistent with abuse
- A letter from a domestic abuse service, refuge, or Independent Domestic Violence Adviser
- A letter from social services, or from a housing officer or local authority
- A police caution, charge, conviction, or a letter confirming they are investigating
- A court order such as a non-molestation order, an injunction, or a finding of fact
- A referral to a MARAC (multi-agency risk assessment conference)
- A letter from an employer, bank or other organisation confirming they have been told about abuse, in some circumstances
Economic abuse counts. There is no time limit on how old the evidence can be. If you have none of this yet, a conversation with your GP or a domestic abuse service will often produce it.
The means test. Your income and capital must be below set thresholds. The home you live in may count towards capital, with some disregards. If your partner controls the money, say so. Their resources can be left out where you are in conflict with them. People on income-based benefits usually pass automatically.
Protective orders are different. For non-molestation and occupation orders you do not need the evidence. The means test still applies but can be waived where the order is urgent.
What it covers. Advice, representation, and in some cases mediation. If you receive money or property at the end of a case, some of the cost may be recovered from it. Your solicitor must explain this before you start.
Scotland
The Scottish Legal Aid Board runs a separate system. Legal aid is available for family cases, including divorce, residence and contact, and protective orders such as interdicts and exclusion orders, subject to means. There is no equivalent of the evidence gateway: the abuse itself does not need to be proven to get legal aid, though the merits of the case are assessed. Advice and assistance (early help from a solicitor) and civil legal aid (for court) are separate tiers.
Northern Ireland
Legal aid for family cases remains broader than in England and Wales, run by the Legal Services Agency with means and merits tests. A solicitor will check your eligibility at the first meeting.
Finding a solicitor
Not every solicitor does legal aid work. In England and Wales, gov.uk has a "find a legal aid adviser" search. Rights of Women (020 7251 6577) and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline can also point you to someone. In Scotland, the Scottish Legal Aid Board lists solicitors. Ask on the first call: do you take legal aid for domestic abuse family work? If not, ask who does.
What this might mean for you
Cost of lawyers is one of the most frequent reasons people give for not acting, and it is often based on a guess. The member module Money, housing and the legal process sets out what the legal process tends to involve and where help is free. If you have not yet put words to what has been happening, the free module Is this danger? can help you describe it, which is often the first step to getting the evidence a legal aid application needs.
This is general information, not legal advice, and thresholds change. Check gov.uk, mygov.scot or nidirect for current figures, or ask Citizens Advice. If you are not safe now: National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 (24 hours), Men's Advice Line 0808 801 0327, Galop 0800 999 5428. In an emergency, 999. Press 55 if you cannot speak.
Related questions
- What evidence do I need for legal aid in a domestic abuse case?
- In England and Wales, one document from an approved list: for example a letter from a GP, health visitor, domestic abuse service, refuge, social services or the police, a court order, a conviction or caution, or a MARAC referral. The list is on gov.uk and is wider than most people expect.
- Is legal aid free?
- It can be, if your income and savings are below the thresholds. Above them you may be asked for a contribution. In some family cases legal aid works as a loan recovered from money or property you receive at the end. A solicitor will explain whether that applies to you.
- Can I get legal aid for a non-molestation order without evidence?
- Yes. Applications for protective orders such as non-molestation and occupation orders in England and Wales do not need the evidence requirement, though the means test still applies and can be waived in urgent cases.
Where this leads
Updated 2026-10-28. This page is information, not legal, medical or clinical advice. Clearr is a paid reflective service run by a company, not a charity or crisis service.