Why are fewer people applying for civil legal aid?
20. The Board recognises that there is considerable concern about the drop in legal aid applications. The following paragraphs look at some of the issues which may have contributed to this. Are fewer people eligible for legal aid? 21. There appears to be a widespread perception that fewer people are eligible for legal aid than in the past and that those that do qualify are more likely to be charged a contribution. 22. Reductions in eligibility were made by the then Government in 1993. The lower income eligibility limit for free civil legal aid (i.e. the limit of disposable income below which an applicant pays no contribution towards the cost of their case) was reduced by 25%. At the same time, the maximum contribution payable by those applicants with a disposable income above that level was increased from one quarter to one third of the excess of disposable income. 23. These changes brought the civil legal aid lower income limit broadly into line with that for Income Support and it has
