§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Attorney-General what are the current levels of income at which legal aid becomes available in (a) criminal and (b) civil matters in England and Wales.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIn civil legal aid cases the limit of disposable income above which legal aid is not available is £1,790 per annum.
There is no upper income limit for legal aid in criminal proceedings. It is for the court, at the conclusion of the case, to consider whether the legally aided person's means are such that he should be ordered to make a contribution towards the cost of his defence.