Choosing the right financial form for the client

Form 1

This is available on Legal Aid Online.

When to use: It is for cases where your client is the only person concerned in accordance with our regulations and they are in receipt of or included in their partner or spouses’ award of, one of the following benefits:

  • Income support
  • Income-related employment and support allowance
  • Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
  • Universal credit

“Person concerned” means the person whose disposable income, disposable capital, and maximum contribution are to be determined or the person whose resources are to be treated as the resources of any other person, under our Regulations.

Form 2 (CIV/FIN/2) – for all other cases

Your client must complete this form in full, include evidence where requested and sign the form, (unless you cannot get their signature in a case of special urgency and want us to consider using our discretion to allow your signature).

Additional forms to support Form 2

  • Statement of Earnings form (CIV/FIN/3): This form should be completed by the person’s employer and sent with the Form 2. Alternatively, we will accept copies of the person’s last three consecutive payslips.
  • Self employment form (CIV/FIN/4): This form should be completed by the person concerned in addition to the Form 2 when they are self employed. This includes shareholders in limited companies.
  • Service Personnel (CIV/FIN/5): This form should be completed by the person’s Paying Office and sent with the Form 2.

Forms are available on the Accounts and Financial forms page

Assistance completing forms

Some people may need help in completing these forms.

Please encourage them to contact our Financial Assessment Unit on 0131 240 2082 if they would like to speak to someone about completing them.

These forms should be returned to you, for submission with the solicitor’s application form.

Before asking the applicant to sign any forms, you must ensure that they have a copy of the leaflet Civil legal aid – information for applicants.  You should also ensure that they understand the implications of receiving a grant of legal aid.

Signing forms

See our guidance on solicitor and applicant signatures.

Financial eligibility for civil legal aid: general conditions and limits
Civil legal aid assessment period and its consequences: ‘period of computation’

In this section

Financial assessment

Financial eligibility for civil legal aid: general conditions and limits

Satisfy yourself that the client is financially eligible for civil legal aid with reference to income and capital.

Financial assessment

Civil legal aid assessment period and its consequences: ‘period of computation’

View information about the period of computation and your client's obligation to tell us about any change in circumstances that may affect their eligibility.

Financial assessment

Taking partners’ financial resources into account: civil legal aid

Learn about how partner is defined, contrary interest and parties living apart when considering financial resources for civil legal aid.

Financial assessment

Civil legal aid: how we calculate income and what’s included

Learn about assessment of wages/salary from employment, net profit from self-employment or business, other sources of income and things that can be disregarded.

Financial assessment

Civil legal aid: assessment of capital resources and relevant disregards/allowances

Find out which of your client's capital resources must be taken into account when applying for legal aid.

Financial assessment

Financial assessment where applicant has deprived themselves of resources: no disregards given

Under regulation 12, we must consider capital disposed of before an application was made.

Financial assessment

Calculating disposable capital and disregards: are the resources the subject matter of dispute?

Assessing the clients disposable capital and guidance on the relationship between subject matter of dispute and clawback

Financial assessment

Financial assessment for special categories of applicant

Find out about assessment of financial for special categories of applicant: children; prisoners; applications in a representative or fiduciary capacity

Financial assessment

Appellate proceedings: is a fresh financial assessment and additional contribution necessary?

We may reassess disposable income and disposable capital if there has been a change in circumstances that would normally result in a reassessment.

Financial assessment

Adults with Incapacity applications

Guidance on modified financial assessment process in Adults with Incapacity cases.

Financial assessment

Will my client be liable to pay a contribution?

Information on how instalment rates of maximum contribution are set and the relationship with case cost.