Legal Aid SA Expands Eligibility Criteria To Ensure Greater Access To Affordable Legal Services

This, the statutory body said, is aimed at ensuring that South Africans can afford to have legal representation.

“As many South Africans continue to face financial pressure, these revisions are a vital step toward safeguarding equitable access to justice. By expanding the financial eligibility criteria, Legal Aid SA is reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that no one is denied legal representation simply because they cannot afford it,” Legal Aid SA said.

The new means threshold is as follows:

• Criminal matters: R9,400 up from R9,100.
• Civil matters (individual applicant): R9,400 up from R9,100.
• Civil matters (spouse/household): R10,200, up from R9,900.
• Movable assets (household, no property): R173,300 up from R167,900.
• Immovable and movable assets (household, owns property): R812,800 up from R787,600.

“In criminal cases, children continue to automatically qualify for legal aid and do not have to take the means test. If it is a civil case, the family of the child will need to take and pass the means test.

“The revised means test takes effect from today, 1 April 2026, and will continue to be applied to all new applications received from this date onwards.

“Legal Aid SA continues to strengthen its role as a champion of equal access to justice by refining its policies to respond to the evolving needs of society. In a time of economic uncertainty, these changes are designed to extend legal support to a broader segment of the population, particularly those whose financial circumstances limit their ability to secure representation,” the body said.