The number of legal aid cases granted in 2024/25 is the lowest annual total over the past six years
Date published:
Topics:
Crime and justice
New official statistics published today by NISRA statisticians in the Legal Services Agency present information on legal aid activity during the 2024/25 year.
Key findings:
- At 61,573, the number of legal aid cases granted in 2024/25 represents the lowest annual total over the past six years, down 3.6% on 2023/24 (63,881) and 17.1% lower than in 2019/20 (74,298). This continued reduction reflects more stringent verification of capital threshold as part of the financial eligibility test associated with applications for civil legal services.
- A total of £119,990,900 was authorised from the legal aid fund in 2024/25. This represents the highest annual total on record, and a 45.5% increase on 2019/20 when expenditure totalled £82,453,572.
- In 2024/25, £68.0m (56.6% of total legal aid expenditure) was authorised to solicitor firms, with £51.5m (42.9%) authorised to barristers. The remaining expenditure can be attributed to third party providers.
About the publication
Presents information on legal aid activity during the 2024/25 year as well as comparisons to 2019/20.
Further Information
View the report: Legal Aid in Northern Ireland: Annual Statistics to March 2025