Scottish Legal Aid Board Online

Legal aid help for mortgage arrears cases

Legal aid helps many people with mortgage arrears and repossession cases, even if they go to court, and it's not true that you always have to pay for this - read more.

Vision
To provide access to justice for those eligible and in need of it, in a cost-effective manner.

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 was set up in 1987 to manage legal aid in Scotland. Read more about our work in the about us section.

Getting legal help

Civil or criminal legal assistance helps people to get legal advice and "representation", which means a solicitor to put their case in court. Find out more about legal assistance, if you may be eligible and how to apply.

Solicitors who provide legal assistance are registered with us. You can search to find your nearest solicitor.

For civil cases, find out how opponents have the right to object to an application for, or grant of, civil legal aid.

Legal profession

This section provides solicitors and advocates with the latest news and a wide range of useful legal aid resources, including:

the Scottish Legal Aid Handbook-
NEW - guidance on sanction for counsel in criminal cases
forms
mailshots and guidance publications, including the latest changes in eligibility from 12 April 2010 and information about our civil simplification project

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. (Please note that we do not provide legal advice. Calls are charged at local rate.)Please note that for training and monitoring purposes your call may be recorded.

Access to information
We are committed to openness. Under the Freedom of Information laws, you can read our Publications Scheme and access materials we regularly publish - find out more.

You can use Browsealoud on this site. Browsealoud reads web pages aloud for people who find it difficult to read online - download the free service to let you listen.


	ALL SOLICITORS - important notice All legal aid business will be moving online in March 2011 - get ready now - more information

	Review of the Board’s administration costs In view of the very challenging times ahead for public expenditure the Board is carrying out a review of our running costs.
	CRIMINAL SOLICITORS - attendance at police stations 1 Sept 2010 Summary of calls to the Board for urgent advice and assistance increases arising from the Lord Advocate’s interim Guidelines on Access to a Solicitor 9 July 2010 Update on legal aid provisions for attendance at police station interviews. The amended criminal fees regulations are included in the criminal legal assistance handbook. Out of hours solicitor "urgent increase" helpline For solicitor use only for urgent increase requests. For attendance at police stations please call 07711424344. Staffed Mon-Fri, 17.00- 22.00 and Sat-Sun between 10.00- 22.00. Voicemail messages can left outwith these hours.
	Legal Aid Online User login NEW - Legal Aid Online is now available for all your civil and criminal legal aid applications – even existing paper ones. Go to our new Legal Aid Online website to find out more and to use the new mandate forms. Not using Legal Aid Online? Did you know that most applications for advice and assistance/ABWOR are now submitted online? Read more about the service and find out why you should join the hundreds of solicitor firms benefiting from our online service.

	Jobs To learn more about working at the Board and to access current vacancies at the Board; the Public Defence Solicitors' Office (PDSO); and the Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO), please visit our recruitment website www.slab-vacancies.org.uk.

	Tenders All Board tenders are published on the Scottish Procurement website www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk


	News 1 Sept 2010 Summary of calls to the Board for urgent advice and assistance increases arising from the Lord Advocate’s interim Guidelines on Access to a Solicitor 16 August 2010 Summary of calls to the Board for urgent advice and assistance increase requests to provide advice arising from the Lord Advocate’s interim Guidelines on Access to a Solicitor 4 August 2010 - Ensuring Effective Access to Appropriate and Affordable Dispute Resolution Processes: Consumer Focus Scotland’s consultation and seminar 19 July 2010 Removal of solicitors from criminal legal assistance register 9th July 2010 Update on legal aid provisions for attendance at Police Station Interviews 5 July 2010 Read our Corporate Plan 2010-2011 1 June 2010 24% increase in civil legal aid applications - highest number in a decade 17 May 2010 Conference on changes to Tribunal System