Nicola is quoted (page 13) explaining why the legal aid means test should mirror the test for means tested welfare benefits.
“In the welfare benefits system, when the state means tests people it ignores the value of their dwelling house, recognising that they have to live somewhere, but the legal aid system takes that into account and presupposes that they can raise money on the value of that property to pay privately for their legal advice. That is not realistic. It is not living in the real world.” Read the full report here.