The upper threshold for civil legal aid is to be raised from £9,781 to £25,000 next year. 

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill claims this will increase eligibility for one fifth of the entire Scottish population.

The announcement was made at a legal aid conference in Dunblane

"I have long considered it unfair that people of relatively modest means can find themselves unable to pursue a complex and expensive legal action," he said.

"As a first step towards correcting that unfairness we will increase the financial eligibility limits for civil legal aid with an appropriately tapered contribution regime. From next spring, the upper limit for disposable income will increase to £25,000 which should mean that around three quarters of the adult population will be potentially eligible for legal aid. For the first time in many a year, legal aid is being rolled out, not rolled back."