Legal Aid Translation Rates & LAA Guidance
Guide to legal aid translation rates, prior authority and funding considerations for civil, family and criminal matters in England and Wales.
Understanding LAA Translation Rates
Legal Aid Agency guidance and funding rules affect how translation costs are assessed in legally aided cases. The applicable position depends on the type of matter, the proposed rate, the overall cost and whether prior authority is required.
For civil and family matters, current LAA guidance treats a rate of £100 per 1,000 words as reasonable and as the level at which prior authority would not generally be required in a certificated matter. Providers should still check the guidance applicable to the individual case.
For criminal matters, this website publishes a document translation rate of £109 per 1,000 source words. Funding, recoverability and prior-authority requirements are subject to the applicable criminal legal aid rules and the circumstances of the instruction.
Our published translation rates are £100 per 1,000 source words for civil and family matters and £109 per 1,000 source words for criminal matters. Your quotation confirms the scope, certification requirements and any additional charges. Interpreter charges are treated separately from document translation, so providers should check the current LAA guidance for the relevant matter.
Civil & Family Translation
£100
per 1,000 source words (10p/word)
Example Civil / Family Calculations
What Is Included in the Rate
- Professional linguist selected for the language pair and service requirements
- Quality checks appropriate to the instruction
- Certification available where required
- Formatting based on the source document and agreed scope
- Digital PDF delivery
- Urgent deadlines subject to availability
- Your quotation confirms certification and any additional charges
- Accuracy concerns reviewed and corrected where appropriate
Order at LAA Rates
Send the documents and case details for a quotation based on the required service, funding context and deadline.