Family Support & Legal Aid Resources in England

Important Scope of This Guide

Most court forms and legal-aid links in this guide apply to England and Wales.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate family-court and legal-aid systems. Official links for those nations are included later in this page.

1. Free Family Support

2. Domestic Abuse Support

3. Free or Low-Cost Legal Advice

4. Cheapest Ways to Get a Solicitor

Official Law Society Solicitor Search

This lets you search for:

• Family law specialists
• Children's law specialists
• Accredited family solicitors
• Solicitors near you

The Law Society's Find a Solicitor service uses information from the Solicitors Regulation Authority and can identify solicitors with recognised Law Society accreditations.

Legal Aid Checker

Check legal aid before paying privately.

5. Direct Access Barristers – Sometimes Cheaper Than Using a Solicitor + Barrister

Instead of paying:

• Solicitor
• Then barrister

You can sometimes go directly to an authorised barrister through the Public Access / Direct Access scheme.

Direct Access Portal

Many family court users find that direct access can be cost-effective, particularly where they can manage their own paperwork and mainly need specialist advice, drafting or representation at a hearing.

Bar Council – Direct Access Information

The Bar Council explains that a Direct Access barrister can:

• Give specialist legal advice
• Draft correspondence
• Help draft statements
• Draft court documents
• Advise on experts
• Advise on the next steps
• Help try to resolve a case
• Represent you in court

Family Law Barristers

If your issue involves:

• Child arrangements
• Social services
• Care proceedings
• Domestic abuse
• Divorce
• Financial remedies

You can use the Direct Access Portal and search for family-law barristers.

Important Limitation

Many people therefore use a barrister for advice, drafting, hearings and strategy while managing the paperwork themselves to reduce costs.

6. Help With Family Court Forms

Government Family Court Forms

Common forms include:

7. Emergency Help

Child at Immediate Risk

8. Legal Aid – Check This Before Paying Privately

Legal aid can help pay for legal advice and, in qualifying cases, representation.

Family-related matters that can fall within legal-aid scope include:

• Protection from domestic abuse or harassment
• Children or financial disputes connected with an abusive relationship
• A child being taken into care
• Family mediation
• Some international child-abduction cases
• Some public-law and human-rights cases

Civil Legal Advice – CLA

If eligible, people in England and Wales can get free and confidential legal advice through Civil Legal Advice for certain problems including:

• Domestic abuse
• Separating from an abusive partner
• A child being taken into care
• Special educational needs
• Discrimination
• Some child-abduction cases
• Housing where homelessness or eviction is involved

9. Family Mediation & the £500 Voucher Scheme

Mediation can sometimes resolve child arrangements or family financial disagreements without a contested court case.

The voucher can usually be used where there is:

• A dispute about a child
• A family financial dispute where there is also a dispute about a child

MIAM – Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting

Before many private-law children or financial-remedy applications, an applicant must normally attend a MIAM unless a valid exemption applies.

Exemptions can include specified domestic-abuse evidence, urgency and other circumstances set out in the Family Procedure Rules.

10. Help With Court and Tribunal Fees

If you have to pay a court or tribunal fee and are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be able to get all or part of the fee reduced through Help With Fees.

Form EX160

EX160 is the paper application for Help With Fees. You can also apply online.

11. Representing Yourself in Family Court

You have the right to represent yourself in court. A person who represents themselves is often called a litigant in person.

Even if you represent yourself, you can still pay for limited legal advice, drafting or a barrister for a particular hearing.

McKenzie Friend

The court may allow someone to sit with you to take notes, provide quiet assistance and support. They normally cannot speak for you, interfere with the hearing or sign court documents on your behalf.

Communication Support

GOV.UK guidance also explains that a person who needs help understanding or participating may be able to ask the court about support such as an intermediary where appropriate.

12. Parents Facing Social Services or Care Proceedings

If children's services are involved, get advice as early as possible.

Family Rights Group provides free, independent and confidential advice to parents and kinship carers involved with children's services in England.

Useful support:

• Family Rights Group
• A family solicitor specialising in public-law children cases
• Legal aid adviser finder
• Cafcass information about public-law proceedings

13. How to Reduce Private Legal Costs

If you do not qualify for legal aid, there are still ways to control legal costs.

14. Legal Help in Scotland & Northern Ireland

15. Useful Contact Numbers

Best Route to Keep Costs Down

Official & Trusted Help Library