Frequently Asked Questions

Legal aid translation is the translation of documents used in legally aided matters. Funding, recoverability and prior-authority requirements vary by case type and should be checked against the current Legal Aid Agency guidance. For dedicated service information, see our Legal Aid Translation service.

Our published service rates are £100 per 1,000 source words for civil and family matters and £109 per 1,000 source words for criminal matters. The quotation confirms the applicable scope and any additional requirements. For the full pricing guide, see Legal Aid translation rates.

Use our online order form to upload your documents and provide the languages, case type and required deadline. We review the material and confirm the quotation and expected turnaround. You can also email your requirements to info@legalaidtranslationservices.co.uk.

Turnaround depends on the language pair, document length, complexity, source quality and linguist availability. Urgent and same-day deadlines may be possible where capacity allows and should be confirmed before instruction.

We support a wide range of languages commonly required in UK legal work, including Arabic, Urdu, Polish, Somali, Farsi, Bengali, Romanian, Albanian, Kurdish, Pashto, Tamil, Turkish, Vietnamese, Tigrinya, Amharic, Mandarin and Cantonese. Availability is confirmed for the requested language pair.

Yes. We can prepare certified translations for use in legal proceedings. Requirements vary by court, tribunal, authority and case type, so any specific certification or submission requirements should be confirmed for the instruction.

Prior authority is case-specific and can depend on the type of matter, proposed rate, overall cost and applicable funding rules. Providers should check the current Legal Aid Agency guidance before instruction where recovery is important.

Linguists are selected according to the language pair, legal subject matter and requirements of the instruction. Where a particular qualification, registration, legal background or vetting requirement is needed, this can be confirmed before assignment.

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures for client material and apply confidentiality controls to sensitive documents. Client translation documents are normally deleted 90 days after completion of the order, unless a different matter-specific retention requirement is agreed. See our Privacy Policy for further details.

We can assist with many document types used in legal matters, including court bundles, witness statements, CAFCASS reports, expert reports, social worker assessments, medical records, police interview transcripts, certificates, immigration documents and asylum evidence. Scope is confirmed after review. For care proceedings and related matters, see our family law translation page. For immigration and asylum matters, see our immigration law translation page.

Urgent or same-day work may be available depending on the language pair, document size, complexity and current capacity. Send the documents and required deadline so availability can be checked.

Digital PDF delivery is available. Printed or signed hard copies can be arranged where required, with the delivery method, certification format and any additional cost confirmed for the instruction.