Frequently Asked Questions

Legal aid translation is the translation of legal documents in cases funded through the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). Under the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013 and Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013, solicitors can claim back translation costs at prescribed rates. We provide translation services at these LAA rates for all types of legally aided cases.

The current rates are £100 per 1,000 words (10p per word) for civil and family cases, and £109 per 1,000 words (10.9p per word) for criminal cases. These rates are set by the Legal Aid Agency and include certification, formatting, and digital delivery. No prior authority is required at these standard rates.

Use our online order form to upload your documents, select languages, indicate the case type, and choose your delivery speed. You will see the price instantly. Alternatively, email your documents directly to info@legalaidtranslationservices.co.uk with your requirements.

Standard delivery is 48 hours. Urgent 24-hour delivery is available for court deadlines. Same-day service is possible for emergency requests — contact us directly. We have never missed a court deadline.

Over 200 languages including Arabic, Urdu, Polish, Somali, Farsi, Bengali, Romanian, Albanian, Kurdish (Kurmanji and Sorani), Pashto, Tamil, Turkish, Vietnamese, Tigrinya, Amharic, Mandarin, Cantonese, and many more. If your language is not listed on our website, contact us — we almost certainly cover it.

Yes, without exception. Our certified translations are accepted by the Family Court, Crown Court, magistrates courts, the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal (First-tier and Upper), the Home Office, HMCTS, NARIC (UK ENIC), and all UK governmental bodies. We have never had a translation rejected.

For translations at standard LAA rates (£100/1,000 words civil, £109/1,000 words criminal), prior authority is not required. The LAA Guidance on Remuneration of Expert Witnesses (Version 7, September 2022) confirms these rates are accepted without formal prior authorisation.

Every translator is a qualified linguist with specialist legal training. Many hold DPSI qualifications and are registered with the NRPSI. All are enhanced DBS checked and bound by confidentiality agreements. We do not use machine translation or unqualified linguists.

We are ISO Certified certified, Data protection registered, and fully GDPR compliant. Documents are transmitted via encrypted channels, stored on secure UK-based servers, and handled under strict confidentiality agreements. All linguists undergo DBS checks and sign data protection agreements.

We translate all document types used in legal aid cases: court bundles, witness statements, CAFCASS reports, threshold documents, expert reports, social worker assessments, medical records, police interview transcripts, certificates (birth, marriage, death), immigration documents, asylum evidence, contracts, and more.

Yes. We maintain a rapid-response capability for urgent cases. For detained immigration clients facing removal, emergency care proceedings, or any situation where a translation is needed immediately, contact us by phone and we will prioritise your order.

Yes. All translations are delivered digitally as high-resolution certified PDFs. Hard copies with original company stamp and wet-ink signature can be posted via first-class Royal Mail or courier service on request.