Legal aid is still available for some, not all civil cases, personal injury being the best known for not being available for legal aid, hence the rise in conditional fee arrangements (no win no fee).
If you had a civil case that had been before the court for 4 years you would have received a number of invoices from your solicitor, which if unpaid may have caused you some difficulty. If you now wish to claim legal aid you should consult an experienced solicitor.