More to benefit from legal aid with higher means test threshold

Revised eligibility criteria account for rise in household incomes and property value

- Samuel Devaraj

The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) will adjust the eligibility criteria for legal aid in the light of increases in household incomes and the value of properties recently, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law Rahayu Mahzam on March 1.

The ministry is working towards implementing these changes by the second quarter of 2024, said Ms Rahayu during the debate on her ministry's budget in Parliament.

MinLaw said the eligibility changes will allow more people to benefit from civil legal aid and criminal defence aid.

Ms Rahayu said the per capita household income threshold for criminal defence aid, which is administered by the Public Defender's Office (PDO), will be increased from $1,500 to $1,650.

The threshold for civil legal aid administered by the Legal Aid Bureau will be increased from $950 to $1,050.

Ms Rahayu added that the annual residential property value thresholds for both types of aid will also be increased from $13,000 to $21,000, in line with the Ministry of Finance's revision of the threshold for social assistance schemes. This will cover all Housing Board flats, she said.

The PDO, a department under MinLaw, covers Singapore citizens and permanent residents in the bottom 35 per cent of households in terms of income levels.

Among the requirements, clients must pass a means test to determine if they have limited financial means.

Ms Rahayu said flexibility will continue to be exercised for deserving cases.