Eligible people can obtain funding for ‘Legal Help’ for appeals to the SEND Tribunal from the Legal Aid Agency. Legal Help covers the preparation of the case (from submitting the appeal form through to preparation for the hearing) but does not cover representation at the hearing (except in exceptional circumstances).

In some cases, a young person may qualify for legal aid in their own right. However, generally, if they live with their parents, as you do, the finances of the young person and parents will be ‘aggregated’ (so both are taken into account).

You should always check to see if you are eligible for legal aid. Please see our page on where you can get help with your appeal for more on this.

If you are eligible for legal aid, a solicitor will be able to draft and submit your appeal form for you and you may be able to obtain funding to cover the costs of obtaining private reports as evidence to support your case.