Legal Aid NSW offices will be closed from Monday 23 December 2024 and will reopen on Monday 6 January 2025. During this time you can contact LawAccess NSW via web chat or by calling 1300 888 529. See Christmas closedown 2024–25 for more information.
4 May 2020
The Legal Aid NSW Chief Executive Officer has approved exempting parents in primary care and protection matters from the Means Test for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the changes in court and office protocols, we are not having face-to-face contact with our clients in care proceedings. We have found many of our vulnerable care clients are finding it difficult to complete the legal aid application form and even where completed, they struggle to lodge it with us. It has been particularly difficult for them to complete the financial information section of the application form. To improve access to our services, we will not be requiring parents in primary care and protection proceedings to provide their financial information for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will simplify the application process for these clients.
We will continue to collect the client’s demographic information and information about their legal problem.
Parents in primary care proceedings will be exempt from the Means Test for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is a specific Grants Online template that can be used where you are applying for a client who is a parent (or has parental responsibility) and is applying for primary care and protection proceedings.
The changes are set out in the Policy Online at Means Test 1.4.1 What matters are means tested?
The changes to the Means Test apply to applications determined on or after 4 May 2020.
Email Client Eligibility Unit or phone 02 9219 5701.
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