Public funding for legal advice and representation, provided for those who cannot afford to pay for it. Eligibility for legal aid and the amount provided are governed by regulations made under primary legislation, most recently the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO).

It is important to note that legal aid is paid to the lawyers, not to the client, despite prejudicial media references to such money being “handed to” impliedly undeserving recipients.