All of the solicitor firms listed carry out work under Civil Legal Aid contracts in the area of housing law. Even if you qualify for legal aid, there may still be a charge for the legal services you receive. Please ensure that you read page 4 of this list before you contact a solicitor. Many of the firms listed are not based in Croydon, this is because not all solicitor firms in the borough offer legal aid
and we want to offer you as much choice as possible when seeking out a legal aid firm.
To be eligible for civil legal aid, your income and capital must be within certain limits.
If you receive a passporting benefit, you automatically qualify for civil legal aid on income
grounds. However, your capital, including the equity in your home (if owned), will be means-tested.
The passporting benefits are:-
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• the guarantee credit part of Pension Credit
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit
Some people may have to pay a contribution towards the cost of the civil legal aid services that they receive (even if passported on income), depending on the level of their income and capital. It is imperative that you ask your solicitor, in advance, whether there will be any charges for work they agree to undertake on your behalf. Do not agree to any work until you are clear as to the
position.
There is a legal aid eligibility calculator contained within the following link. However, there is no substitute for a formal calculation carried out by a solicitor practice:
https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid
If your enquiry is related to mortgage arrears, you will need to contact the Civil Legal Advice Gateway on telephone number: 0845 345 4 345 (4p per minute). If you cannot afford to call, you can text ‘legalaid’ giving your name to 80010 in order to be called back.
Please note that you must provide evidence of your income and capital for all legal aid cases. Your solicitor will advise you as to what they require, but this may include; last three payslips (if employed and paid monthly), statement of account/s (if self-employed), recent letter from DWP/bank statement specifying benefits or other income you receive, last three months’ bank
statements for every account (even if you have no money in it), Housing Benefit award letter,details of other savings/investments, rent or mortgage statement. Please start to prepare these documents in advance of your appointment.