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The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations 2013
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The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations 2013,
PART 3
is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 06 June 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
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Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Instrument associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Instrument (including any effects on those provisions):
- reg. 11(9)(e) and word inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 25(3)
- reg. 11(9)(f) and word inserted by 2023 c. 37 s. 56(5)(b)
PART 3 E+WAVAILABILITY OF FORMS OF CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES
Provision of the most appropriate form of civil legal servicesE+W
20.—(1) Where the Director determines in accordance with regulations 21 to [F130] that—
(a)an individual or a legal person qualifies for civil legal services under Part 1 of the Act; and
(b)that more than one form of civil legal services could be provided for that individual or legal person,
the services provided must be those the Director considers most appropriate in all the circumstances.
(2) Regulations 21 to [F230] apply, in relation to any matter referred to in those regulations, for the purpose of determining which form of civil legal services is most appropriate in relation to that matter.
Textual Amendments
F1Word in reg. 20(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Civil Legal Aid (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/505), regs. 1(1), 5(2) (with regs. 8, 9) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1493, regs. 1(1), 7(2)-(4)): 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F2Word in reg. 20(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Civil Legal Aid (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/505), regs. 1(1), 5(2) (with regs. 8, 9) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1493, regs. 1(1), 7(2)-(4)): 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Mental HealthE+W
21. Investigative representation is not appropriate in relation to any matter described in paragraph 5(1)(a) or (b) of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (mental health), to the extent that it relates to proceedings before the First-tier Tribunal or the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales.
Immigration and terrorism prevention and investigation measures etcE+W
22. Help at court and investigative representation are not appropriate in relation to any matter described in any of the following paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (civil legal services)—
(a)paragraphs 25 to 30 [F3and 31A] of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (immigration), to the extent they relate to proceedings before the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal;
[F4(b)paragraphs 32(1) (victims of trafficking in human beings) and 32A(1) (victims of slavery, servitude or forced or compulsory labour); and]
(c)paragraph 45 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (terrorism prevention and investigation measures etc).
Textual Amendments
F3Words in reg. 22(a) inserted (25.10.2019) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Legal Aid for Separated Children) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1396), arts. 1, 4(3)
F4Reg. 22(b) substituted (31.7.2015) by The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1414), regs. 1(2), 2(3)
Special Immigration Appeals Commission, immigration: accommodation for asylum-seekers etc and victims of trafficking in human beingsE+W
23. Help at court is not appropriate in relation to any matter described in any of the following paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (civil legal services)—
(a)paragraph 24 (Special Immigration Appeals Commission); and
(b)paragraph 31 (immigration: accommodation for asylum-seekers etc).
Family disputesE+W
24.—(1) Help at court and investigative representation are not appropriate in relation to a family dispute.
(2) Full representation is not appropriate in relation to any matter described in paragraph 14 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (mediation in family disputes).
Victims of domestic violence and family matters: family help (lower)E+W
25. Family help (lower) is not appropriate in relation to any matter described in paragraph 12 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (victims of domestic violence and family matters) to the extent that it relates to [F5an application] for divorce under section 1 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 M1 or an application for a dissolution order under section 44 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 M2.
Textual Amendments
F5Words in reg. 25 substituted (6.4.2022) by The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/237), reg. 1(2), Sch. para. 6 (with reg. 3)
Marginal Citations
Public law children cases [F6, parental placement and adoption cases] and special Children Act 1989 casesE+W
26. Family help (higher) is not appropriate in public law children cases [F7, parental placement and adoption cases] or special Children Act 1989 cases.
Textual Amendments
Victims of domestic violence and family matters: help with family mediationE+W
27. Help with family mediation described in regulation 17(b) is not appropriate in relation to any matter arising under an enactment specified in paragraph (e), (i), (k), (l) or (o) of the definition of “family enactment” in paragraph 12(9) (victims of domestic violence and family matters) of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (civil legal services).
Emergency representationE+W
28. Legal representation and family help (higher) are the only forms of civil legal services which are appropriate for an individual who qualifies for emergency representation.
Civil legal services which do not include advocacyE+W
29. Legal representation, family help (higher) and help at court are not appropriate forms of civil legal services in relation to any matter in which the civil legal services available under Part 1 of the Act do not include advocacy.
InquestsE+W
30. Legal help is the only form of civil legal services which is appropriate in relation to any matter described in paragraph 41 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act (inquests).
Cross-border disputesE+W
F831. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F8Reg. 31 omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Civil Legal Aid (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/505), regs. 1(1), 5(3) (with regs. 8, 9) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1493, regs. 1(1), 7(2)-(4)): 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
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