What is Exceptional Case Funding (ECF)?

Essentially a ‘human rights’ safety net. ECF is granted in situations where funding is required to avoid a breach of someone’s human rights or EU law but the situation falls outside the scope for legal aid.

• Clients tend to be vulnerable with complex cases.
• Appeals and applications based on human rights for leave to remain, entry clearance, family reunification, against deportation.

How can your law firm work with Central England Law Centre on ECF cases?

Central England Law Centre holds regular clinics to assist people to apply for ECF.  Once Central England Law Centre receive ECF for a client we often hand over the case and the funding to other law firms to progress. Notably, Central England Law Centre do not offer ECF for anything other than immigration at the moment.

Any firm with a legal aid contract can take on an ECF case.

Why should your law firm take an ECF-approved case from Central England Law Centre?

ECF cases are generally considered to be quite complex and clients are often very vulnerable, having at times exhausted all other options.  For this reason, they are usually reasonably justified to reach the escape fee threshold so law firms working on ECF cases should expect to receive up to 2 x the fixed fee.

Central England Law Centre will quickly and simply transfer the ECF-approved client to you by sending your law firm:

• The original ECF application containing the ECF grounds
• Grant letter
• Any other background information

What is required of solicitors who receive an ECF-approved client?

The ECF forms will need to be resubmitted with:

• Updated evidence of means
• The legal aid forms need to be signed again with the legal provider details
• An email containing the original ECF application with the new signed forms, new evidence of means, and individual grant letter to be sent to: [email protected]
• ECF Grant Letter

If you would like to register your interest in working with Central England Law Centre on ECF-approved cases or have any questions, please email: [email protected]

If you would like to refer a client to the ECF clinic, please complete the ECF clinic referral form and return by email to: [email protected].