Written Question·Ministry of Justice·UIN 15955

Legal Aid Scheme: Low Incomes

Tabled: 6 July 2026
Answered: 14 July 2026

Question

Jim Shannon

Democratic Unionist PartyStrangford

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate legal aid funding for low-income defendants.

Answer

Sarah Sackman
In England and Wales, legal aid for defendants appearing at the magistrates’ court and Crown Court is means tested. The income thresholds are different in each court.All defendants at the Crown Court are eligible for legal aid provided their annual dispos...

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Legal Aid Scheme: Low Incomes — Written Question | TrustPolitics