UK Asylum Lawyers — how to find a Legal Aid one

• Initial asylum claimA lawyer helps with the screening interview, substantive interview (the main interview about your case), and evidence collection. You can apply alone, but success rates are lower.
• Home Office refusal — appeal14 calendar days to file an appeal at the First-tier Tribunal from the date of refusal. A lawyer is essential — procedural errors get rejected.
• Detention (IRC) — bailA bail application can be submitted at any time. Bail for Immigration Detainees 020 7456 9750 — free advice line, open Mon–Thu 10:00–12:00.
• Family reunion after statusRefugee family reunion for spouse/children under 18. Legal Aid covered if the main case ran under asylum.
• Further submissions after appeal rights exhaustedIf the appeal was lost and new evidence has emerged — Para 353 further submissions. See the dedicated guide.
• Judicial reviewHome Office decisions are challenged in the Upper Tribunal or Administrative Court. Requires a solicitor with public-law experience and IAA Level 3 or a barrister.

The Legal Aid Agency funds free legal representation in England and Wales. The Scottish Legal Aid Board covers Scotland. The Legal Services Agency NI covers Northern Ireland.

Two tests for Legal Aid:

• Means test (income check)If you live in asylum-supported housing — the means test is automatically passed. Otherwise income and capital thresholds apply per LAA rules.
• Merits test (case strength)The case must have a "realistic prospect of success". For first-instance asylum claims, the merits threshold is applied more leniently.

Check a firm's Legal Aid status by postcode: find-legal-advice.justice.gov.uk.

What to do in the first 48 hours:

• 1. Find a Legal Aid lawyer — todayBest if it's someone already familiar with your case. If not — use the "Legal Aid" filter below, or call Migrant Help 0808 8010 503 for urgent routing.
• 2. Keep the refusal letterDo not throw it away. Your lawyer needs the exact wording of the refusal reasons and the date of receipt.
• 3. Do not leave the UKVoluntary departure = implied withdrawal. Your case is closed and a re-entry ban applies. If you need to travel — discuss "permission to travel" with your lawyer.
• 4. If in detention — apply for bail immediatelyBID 020 7456 9750 (Mon–Thu 10:00–12:00). Bail applications can be filed while the appeal proceeds.

After 14 days appeal rights are exhausted, but Para 353 further submissions are still possible (with new evidence).

• Asks for £500+ upfront for an asylum consultationAsylum is fully Legal Aid funded. If they ask for payment, check the firm's Legal Aid status. Filing an asylum claim should cost nothing if you pass the means test.
• "Guarantees" status or visaNo-one can guarantee a Home Office decision. Lawyers promising 100% outcome are misleading you — decline.
• Not registered with SRA / IAA / BSBA criminal offence under IAA 1999 s.91 (breach of the s.84 prohibition). Verify the registration number on public registers BEFORE the first consultation.
• Refuses to provide a written engagement letterSRA solicitors are required to issue a written engagement letter: scope, price, timing, terms of business. Without one — do not pay.
• Works only via messenger, no officeSRA/IAA require a published registered office. A "lawyer" who works only on WhatsApp/Telegram with no registered address is almost always unregulated.
• Asks to "keep" your original documentsSolicitors work with copies. Originals (passport, BRP, refugee status letter) stay with you. A request to "keep" originals for long periods is a red flag.

Already paid and the lawyer isn't delivering?

• Complaint against a solicitorsra.org.uk/consumers/problems — SRA Consumer Protection
• Complaint against an IAA advisergov.uk/complain-about-an-immigration-adviser
• CompensationLegal Ombudsman or Solicitors Compensation Fund (for SRA-firm fraud cases)

⚠️ Warning: in February 2026 the SRA intervened against Litkraft Solicitors (part of the PM Law Group) — a suspected £39.5m client-funds fraud investigation is underway. Decline if anyone recommends this firm. Source: Law Society Gazette.

• All Home Office lettersRefusal letter, screening interview record, asylum questionnaire, any decisions. Lawyers read them literally — every word matters.
• Identity documentsPassport (if any), birth certificate, marriage certificate, certified translations.
• Evidence of persecution (if asylum)Medical reports, photos of injuries, threat letters, police reports, social media screenshots with threats, news about your country.
• Timeline of eventsDated chronology: what happened, when you left, how you arrived, when you claimed asylum. Better written out on one sheet in advance.
• Family member listNames, dates of birth, where they are now, status. Especially if planning family reunion.
• All previous applications / interview transcriptsIf you applied for asylum or other visas before — the Home Office knows; your lawyer needs to know too.
• List of questionsWrite down 5-10 questions in advance (see §07 below). First-meeting time is limited.

Tip: make copies of everything before the meeting. One set for the lawyer, one for you. Don't leave originals (passport, BRP, refugee letter).

1. Have you handled cases like mine before? — specifically: asylum from my country, in my situation.
2. Do you work under Legal Aid? — if yes: what's the process. If no: how much, and for what.
3. Who specifically will handle my case? — the solicitor personally, or a caseworker / paralegal. Name.
4. Realistic timeline? — how long the application / appeal / Home Office decision will take. Worst case.
5. Realistic chances — honestly? — not "we guarantee 100%", but an assessment of the case's weak points.
6. What can go wrong? — key risks: credibility refusal, evidence problems, jurisdiction.
7. How will we communicate? — frequency of updates, method (email/call), language.
8. What other evidence do I need? — perhaps something you can gather from home, via family.
9. Fee structure (if private) — fixed fee, hourly, success fee. VAT included? What's covered.
10. How do I complain if I'm unhappy? — every SRA firm must have a complaints procedure. Ask in advance.