Official Statistics: Legal aid activity in Northern Ireland, period ending 31st March 2026

This is the first of two annual statistical publications on legal aid in Northern Ireland. Incorporating 2025/26 information for the first time, it presents data on applications granted and authorised expenditure for criminal and civil cases from 2019/20 onwards. A second release, focusing on the utilisation of legal aid by both applicants and suppliers, will be published later in the year.

https://datavis.nisra.gov.uk/LSANI/Annual-Statistics-March-2026.html

https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/legal-aid-northern-ireland-annual-statistics-march-2026

The statistics reported in this bulletin are the fourth in a time-series to be released annually by the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland (LSANI). Information on the number of legal aid applications granted and authorised expenditure for criminal and civil cases are included, with an immediate focus on 2025/26, along with comparisons as far back as 2019/20.