This Statutory Rule makes amendments to the Civil Legal Services (Financial) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 and its purpose is to allow for financial eligibility assessments in respect of certain applications for civil legal aid to be carried out by the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland. At present the Department for Communities has responsibility for carrying out financial eligibility assessments on behalf of the Agency in applications for civil legal aid. This function is carried out by the Legal Aid Assessment Office. The impetus for this S.R. comes from the first Access to Justice Review Report, published in August 2011 which recommended that consideration be given to legislating to bring the work of the Legal Aid Assessment Office "in house" within the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland ("the Agency"). The S.R. comes into operation on the 4th March 2019.

This Rule may be purchased from the Stationary Office at www.tsoshop.co.uk or by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0333 202 5070, or viewed online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr