By James Stevens, Director and Solicitor, Go To Court Lawyers. Last reviewed 11 April 2026.
Key points
- A grant of legal aid from Legal Aid ACT depends on its Legal Assistance Guidelines, which include a means test of your income and assets. For free legal information, call the Legal Aid ACT Helpline on 1300 654 314, 8:30am to 7pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 5pm Friday; advice is by appointment.
- Income: the guidelines' allowed income is $498 a week. It is compared with your assessable income: your gross income less tax, housing costs up to $560 a week, childcare up to $325, allowances for dependants and maintenance you pay. If your income is solely from Centrelink, the income test is treated as met.
- Assets: up to $600,000 of equity in your principal home is not counted, nor one motor vehicle belonging to you. The assets allowance is $1,200 for a single applicant ($2,300 with dependants or a financially associated person).
- Cost of the case: you are eligible only if your total contribution is less than the estimated cost of the proceedings.
- These are the indicator amounts marked "Effective May 2025" in the guidelines reprinted in August 2025. The November 2024 reprint had $750,000 for home equity and a $16,790 figure for a car; the current guidelines replace both.
- Over the limit? A 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in the ACT is a fixed $295. Call 1800 577 015 at any hour for free general legal information, or request a consultation.
Legal Aid ACT's guidelines set an allowed income of $498 a week, measured after tax, housing, childcare and dependant allowances, an assets allowance of $1,200 for a single applicant, and leave out up to $600,000 of equity in your home, under the indicator amounts effective May 2025 in the guidelines reprinted in August 2025.
Every figure on this page was read on 22 October 2026 from Legal Aid ACT's Legal Assistance Guidelines, "Reprinted with Amendments: Aug 2025", whose indicator amounts are marked "Effective May 2025"; from the reprint of 14 November 2024 for the earlier figures; and from Legal Aid ACT's "Apply for a grant of Legal Aid" page. Legal Aid ACT decides each application itself under its guidelines, and the means test is only one part of them; this page is not a promise of eligibility.
The income test
Legal Aid ACT compares your assessable income with its allowed income of $498 a week. Assessable income is your gross income less:
| Deduction | Most that is taken off (a week) |
|---|---|
| Income tax | The tax you pay |
| Housing costs | $560 |
| Childcare | $325 |
| Dependants | $216 for one; $420 for two; $625 for three; $829 for four; $204 for each further dependant |
| Maintenance you pay | The amount you pay |
If your income is solely from Centrelink, Legal Aid ACT treats the income test as met.
The assets test
Legal Aid ACT's assets allowance is $1,200 for a single applicant, or $2,300 for an applicant with dependants or a financially associated person. It does not count:
| Asset | How much is not counted |
|---|---|
| Equity in your principal home | Up to $600,000 |
| A motor vehicle | One motor vehicle belonging to you; the current guidelines set no dollar limit for it |
| Farm or business equity | Single homeowner $202,000; single non-homeowner $339,250; partnered homeowner $286,500; partnered non-homeowner $433,500 |
Your net assets may not be more than the assets allowance by more than the likely cost of the proceedings. You are eligible only if your total contribution is less than the estimated cost of the proceedings.
In the November 2024 reprint, with amounts effective July 2024, the home equity figure was $750,000 and a car was capped at $16,790. The August 2025 reprint lowered the home equity figure to $600,000 and replaced the car cap with the exclusion of one vehicle. The allowed income of $498 a week is the same in both.
Applying, and how long it takes
Legal Aid ACT takes grant applications online at any time. It says it aims to process a grant within 10 working days.
Legal Aid ACT's phone line
| Line | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Aid ACT Helpline | 1300 654 314 | 8:30am to 7pm, Monday to Thursday; 8:30am to 5pm, Friday |
The Helpline gives free legal information. Legal Aid ACT's advice is by appointment.
If you earn too much for legal aid
- Free legal information is still available from the Legal Aid ACT Helpline on 1300 654 314.
- Community legal centres give free help to some groups of people and in some areas of law.
- A private lawyer. Go To Court Lawyers arranges a 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in the ACT for a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person, and the lawyer tells you what any further work would cost before you commit. Call 1800 577 015 at any hour, or request a consultation.
Legal aid in other states uses different figures. Legal Aid NSW's standard test, for example, passes an applicant whose net assessable income is $450 a week or less, and does not count up to $815,000 of home equity.
How Go To Court Lawyers can help
Our free line, 1800 577 015, answers at any hour. Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information and takes your details; Jen is not a lawyer and does not give advice about your case. If you want advice, a 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in the ACT is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person. Requests are taken at any hour; how soon a lawyer can see you depends on who is available. Go To Court Lawyers is not part of Legal Aid ACT and cannot decide a legal aid application.
General information only, not legal advice. Updated 22 October 2026. Figures read on 22 October 2026 from Legal Aid ACT's Legal Assistance Guidelines (reprinted with amendments, August 2025; indicator amounts effective May 2025), the reprint of 14 November 2024 (amounts effective July 2024) and its "Apply for a grant of Legal Aid" page.