Call 0330 999 0959 Book a MIAM

MIAMs · England & Wales

Free MIAMs with legal aid

If you qualify for legal aid, your MIAM is free, including the signed certificate. We hold a Legal Aid Agency contract, so we can deliver a publicly funded MIAM directly. Eligibility is based on your income, savings and any benefits you receive.

The way to find out is our legal aid checker. It gives you an indication of whether you qualify, and if you do, that is the start of arranging your free MIAM.

Last reviewed · 12 June 2026 · Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy

Delivered under our Legal Aid Agency contract · Eligibility assessed against the legal aid means test

£0A MIAM is free if you qualify, including the signed certificate for court.
LAA contractWe are a contracted legal aid provider, so funded MIAMs are arranged directly with us.
Means-testedEligibility depends on income, savings and benefits. Many people qualify after a separation.
Checker firstThe legal aid checker starts the process. You cannot book a free MIAM until eligibility is confirmed.

How to get a free MIAM

A free MIAM is not booked through the normal calendar. Because it is publicly funded, eligibility has to be confirmed first. The process is straightforward:

  1. Complete the legal aid checker

    Answer a few questions about your income, savings and circumstances using our online legal aid checker. It takes a couple of minutes.

  2. Get an indication of eligibility

    The checker tells you whether you are likely to qualify for legal aid for family mediation.

  3. We verify it

    If the checker indicates you qualify, a member of our team verifies your eligibility properly. Legal aid has to be confirmed by a person, not just the online tool.

  4. You receive a link to book

    Once your eligibility is confirmed, we send you a link to book your free MIAM at a time that suits you.

Start with the checker. It is the quickest way to find out if your MIAM can be free, and there is no obligation. Prefer to ask a question first? Book a free 15-minute call.

Check if you qualify

What legal aid covers

Legal aid for family mediation covers more than just the MIAM. If you qualify, it can cover:

Covered Detail
Your MIAM The full meeting, free of charge, including the signed certificate if you need it for court.
Your mediation sessions If mediation goes ahead and you remain eligible, your joint sessions can be funded too.
The other person’s first steps If one of you qualifies, the other person’s MIAM and the first joint mediation session can also be covered, even if they would not qualify on their own finances.

Because mediation can be fully funded for an eligible client, legal aid is usually the first thing worth checking, before the £500 voucher scheme or paying privately.

What if you do not qualify?

If the checker indicates you are not eligible, you have other options. A standard MIAM is £138 including VAT per person, with the signed certificate £66 inc VAT if you need it for court. And if your case involves arrangements for children, you may be able to use the government’s £500 voucher towards joint mediation, which is not means-tested.

Two different kinds of helpLegal aid and the £500 voucher are not the same thing. Legal aid is means-tested and can cover your MIAM and mediation in full. The £500 voucher is not means-tested, but only goes towards joint mediation about children, and it is applied for after your MIAM, not before.

Quick answers

Legal aid for MIAMs: common questions

Is a MIAM really free with legal aid?

Yes. If you qualify for legal aid for family mediation, your MIAM is free, including the signed certificate. We are a contracted legal aid provider, so there is nothing to pay.

How do I know if I qualify?

Use our legal aid checker. It asks about your income, savings and circumstances and gives an indication of whether you are likely to qualify. A good number of people do, particularly after a separation has changed their finances.

Can I just book a free MIAM directly?

Not straight away. Because a free MIAM is publicly funded, eligibility has to be confirmed first. You complete the checker, we verify your eligibility, and then we send you a link to book. You cannot book a funded MIAM through the standard calendar.

Does my ex-partner also get a free MIAM?

If one of you qualifies for legal aid, the other person’s MIAM and the first joint mediation session can also be covered, even if they would not qualify on their own finances. Each person still attends their own separate MIAM.

Does legal aid cover mediation as well as the MIAM?

It can. If you qualify and mediation goes ahead, your joint sessions can be funded too, for as long as you remain eligible. That is why checking for legal aid first is usually worthwhile.

What is the difference between legal aid and the £500 voucher?

Legal aid is means-tested and can cover your MIAM and mediation in full. The £500 voucher is not means-tested, but only goes towards joint mediation about children. If you qualify for legal aid, that usually comes first.

Sources and further reading

Reviewed by Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy, Mediate UK. MIAM UK is a trading name of Family Legal Ltd. Last reviewed 12 June 2026.