Written questions

Legal Aid Scheme: Low Incomes

Commons · Question 15955 · Tabled 6 Jul 2026 · Ministry of Justice · Official record

Answered 14 Jul 2026

Question

Asked by Jim Shannon

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

Answer

Answered by Sarah Sackman, 14 Jul 2026

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...