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Legal Aid can sometimes pay for family mediation. Whether it does depends on your finances and a few other things, and the only reliable way to find out is the official check run by the Government. It is free and takes a few minutes.
Salam Mediation does not provide Legal Aid. We are a private service. This page explains how Legal Aid works alongside mediation, how to check whether you might qualify, and what to do next either way.
Could I qualify?
Legal Aid is means-tested. There is no single figure that decides it, which is why we have not put one here. The assessment can look at:
- your income, and sometimes your partner’s
- whether you receive certain benefits
- savings and other capital
- property, including a home you own
- your circumstances, for example where there has been domestic abuse
You do not need to work this out yourself. The official checker asks the questions and tells you whether Legal Aid is likely. The mediator who takes your case then confirms it properly.
GOV.UK Use the official Legal Aid checker
A simple way to check
Four steps, and the second one is the only one that takes any effort.
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You are considering family mediation
About the children, money, or both, after a separation.
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Check Legal Aid on GOV.UK
A few questions about your situation, income and savings.
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The checker says you may qualify
It is an indication, not a decision. The final assessment is made by the provider.
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Contact a mediator who provides Legal Aid
They assess you, and if Legal Aid is granted your mediation with them is funded.
We do not provide Legal Aid
Salam Mediation is a private family mediation service. We do not hold a Legal Aid contract, so we cannot assess anyone for Legal Aid and cannot carry out mediation under it.
If the checker suggests you may qualify, the right next step is a mediator who does hold a contract. They will confirm whether you are eligible and, if so, your MIAM and mediation with them can be paid for by Legal Aid. Asking costs nothing, and it is worth doing before you pay anyone.
Legal Aid and the mediation voucher are different
People often mix these up. They are two separate schemes and you can be eligible for one, both, or neither.
Legal Aid
- Means-tested: income, benefits, savings and property all count
- Where it applies, it can cover the MIAM and the mediation itself
- Only available through a mediator with a Legal Aid contract
- Salam Mediation cannot provide it
The £500 mediation voucher
- A separate Government scheme, not a means test
- Up to £500 towards mediation where the case involves children
- Does not pay for the MIAM
- Salam Mediation takes part in the scheme
What if only one of us gets Legal Aid?
Under the current rules, if one of you is assessed as eligible, the Legal Aid funding covers the MIAM and the first mediation session for both of you. The person who does not qualify pays only for any sessions after the first. This is set out in the Government’s own guidance and by the Family Mediation Council.
It only works through a mediator who holds a Legal Aid contract, because they are the ones who can make the assessment and claim the funding. It cannot be transferred to a private mediator, so if one of you has already been assessed as eligible, both of you would need to use that provider.
The rules and the amounts do change from time to time. The provider you approach will tell you how it applies to you, and the official pages are the place to check the current position: Family Mediation Council on the cost of mediation and GOV.UK guidance.
What happens next?
Questions people ask
Can Legal Aid pay for family mediation?
Yes, where you qualify. Legal Aid for family mediation still exists in England and Wales, and where it is granted it can cover the MIAM and the mediation sessions. It has to be arranged through a mediator who holds a Legal Aid contract.
Do I have to be on benefits to qualify?
No. Receiving certain benefits is one route, but people who work can qualify too. The assessment looks at income, savings and property together, and there are different rules in some circumstances, for example where there has been domestic abuse. The GOV.UK checker is the quickest way to find out.
Does Salam Mediation offer Legal Aid?
No. We are a private service and do not hold a Legal Aid contract, so we cannot assess you for Legal Aid or mediate under it. If you may qualify, use a provider who does. Our own fees are published in full.
Can I use the £500 mediation voucher instead?
Possibly. The voucher is a separate scheme from Legal Aid. It gives up to £500 towards mediation where the case involves children, it is not means-tested, and Salam Mediation takes part in it. It does not pay for the MIAM. See how the voucher works.
What if one person qualifies and the other does not?
Under the current rules, if one of you gets Legal Aid, the MIAM and the first mediation session are covered for both of you. The other person pays for later sessions only. This has to be through the Legal Aid provider, not a private mediator.
Can Salam Mediation tell me if I qualify?
No. Only a provider with a Legal Aid contract can assess you, and we would not want to guess. The official checker gives a reliable first answer in a few minutes, and it is free.
This page is general information about family mediation. It is not legal advice about your own situation. It is not a Legal Aid eligibility assessment: only a mediator or adviser with a Legal Aid contract can make one.