Notice is hereby given that the Lord Chancellor, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Article 9(2), 12(2), 22 and 27 of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 has made a Statutory Rule entitled:

Legal Aid (Financial Conditions Regulations (Northern Ireland 2005

These Regulations, which will come into operation on 11 April 2005, amend the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 so as to:

(a)	increase the upper income limit to make legal aid available to those with disposable incomes of not more than £8,681 (instead of £8,595), or in connection with proceedings involving a personal injury £9,570 (instead of £9,475) (Regulation 3);
(b)	increase the lower income limit below which legal aid is available without payment of a contribution to £2,931 (instead of £2,902) (Regulation 4).

No changes are made to the capital limits

Copies of the Statutory Rule of Northern Ireland 2005 No. 66 may be obtained from The Stationery Office, 16 Arthur Street, BELFAST, BT1 4GD.