Legal Aid Funding

In December 2013, the government made major changes to the availability of legal aid for prisoners.

This has greatly reduced the number of areas of help covered by legal aid.

Legal aid funding is still available for:

All paper reviews considered by the Parole Board where the prisoner is eligible for release. This includes indeterminate sentenced prisoners (lifers and IPPs), determinate recall cases, some extended sentence cases and historical sentences where the Parole Board still has a power to release.
All oral hearings before the Parole Board, where the prisoner is eligible for release.
Sentence Calculation cases (provided that a request/ complaint has already been submitted regarding the calculation). This includes advice and assistance relating to the timing of parole reviews and minimum term applications.
Adjudications before an outside adjudicator (independent judge). If a prisoner is due to appear before an outside adjudicator where additional days may be imposed.
Judicial review and Human Rights Act claims.

All of these areas are means tested and subject to a 'merits' or 'sufficient benefit' test for Legal Aid.

If you or someone you know needs help with any of these issues, please contact us.