Changes to the eligibility criteria for civil legal aid
The Department of Justice and the Legal aid Board have announced that the Housing Assistance Payment and other housing support measures – Rental Accommodation Scheme, Rent Supplement, Mortgage Interest Supplement and Rent Allowance – will now be excluded from the calculation of entitlement to legal aid.
PLEASE NOTE
If you applied for legal aid during the past six months and were refused because HAP or one of the above payments brought you over the income threshold, you can now reapply.
Treoir continues to campaign for access to justice and we see the removal of HAP and other housing assistance payments as a step in the right direction. The changes will allow individuals and families with difficult family law situations and limited income, to access legal representation.