Legal aid

Immigration and asylum cases

In England and Wales, legal aid is available for asylum cases and some immigration matters. This means many people on a low income who need to make an immigration application will not be able to access free legal advice.

What is covered by legal aid

Legal aid is available for:

• asylum cases
• immigration bail
• some applications made by victims of domestic abuse
• applications made by victims of trafficking proceedings before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC)
• applications for asylum support (where the application is for housing and financial support)
• applications made by children under 18 who are looked after by a local authority or who are separated from their parents

What is not covered

Legal aid is not usually available for:

• family and private life applications
• EU Settlement Scheme applications
• British citizenship applications
• applications to the Windrush Scheme
• change of conditions applications

When legal aid is not available

If a case is not covered by legal aid, a person may be able to apply for Exceptional Case Funding (ECF). If this is granted, they may be able to find a legal aid provider to take on their case.

In some cases, a person may also be able to access pro bono legal advice from voluntary and community organisations.

Page updated: 29 June 2026