08. What if I can't afford a solicitor?

Taking legal action can be expensive. You can no longer get public funding (what used to be called legal aid) for most personal injury cases (except for ones which are to do with medical accidents, deliberate harm, such as child abuse, or an assault by the police).

However, if you can't afford to pay legal fees, there are ways you may be able to get help with the costs.

Trade union help
If you are a member of a trade union or similar type of organisation, it may be able to help you with legal costs.

Legal expenses insurance
Check your house contents and car insurance policies to see if they include legal expenses cover for the type of personal injury claim you want to bring. These policies can provide cover for legal costs, though there is normally a limit on how much legal costs they will pay for.

'No-win, no-fee' agreements
These agreements, officially called 'conditional-fee agreements', mean that you do not have to pay your solicitor's fees if you lose your case. You will probably need to take out insurance (called 'after-the-event' insurance) to protect you against the possibility of having to pay the other side's costs if you lose. Your solicitor should help you with this. For more information, see the Community Legal Service leaflet 'No-win, no-fee actions'.