Highlights

2020

LAD Departmental Report 2019

The Departmental Report 2019 of the Legal Aid Department has been issued. Please view it here.

Environmental Report 2019

The Controlling Officer's Environmental Report 2019 of the Legal Aid Department has been issued. Please view it here.

New Financial Eligibility Limits for Legal Aid

With effect from 26 June 2020, the financial eligibility limits for the Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme (“OLAS”) and the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (“SLAS”) have been adjusted upwards. For OLAS, the limit has gone up from $307,130 to $420,400. For SLAS, the adjustment is from $1,535,650 to $2,102,000.

Revised interest rate on charge on property

The rate of interest on the Director’s First Charge registered on an aided person’s home under Section 18A (3B)(b) of the Legal Aid Ordinance, Cap. 91 changed from 1.231% to 1.243% on 1 June 2020 in line with the provisions of the Legal Aid (Charge on Property) (Rate of Interest) Regulation. The new rate will apply from 1 June 2020 to 31 May 2021.

Expansion of the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme

With effect from 1 April 2020, the scope of the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (“SLAS”) has been expanded to cover the following types of cases where the claim is likely to exceed $75,000 :

Professional negligence claims against financial intermediaries licensed or registered for Type 1 (dealing in securities), Type 2 (dealing in futures contracts) or Type 8 (securities margin financing) regulated activities within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571); and
Monetary claims in respect of derivatives of securities, currency futures or other futures contracts on the basis that the person was induced to deal in those derivatives, futures or contracts by fraud, deception or misrepresentation.

Adjustment to Personal Allowances

With effect from 2 March 2020, the amount of personal allowances to be deducted from income when computing an applicant's financial resources has been adjusted.

For full details of the new personal allowances, please click here.

For more information on how the financial resources of an applicant are calculated, please click here.

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