Searches for pair-produced scalar leptoquarks are performed using 20 fb $$^{-1}$$ of proton–proton collision data provided by the LHC and recorded by the ATLAS detector at $$\sqrt{s}=8$$ TeV. Events with two electrons (muons) and two or more jets in the final state are used to search for first (second)-generation leptoquarks. The results from two previously published ATLAS analyses are interpreted in terms of third-generation leptoquarks decaying to $$b\nu _{\tau }\bar{b}\bar{\nu _{\tau }}$$ and $$t\nu _{\tau }\bar{t}\bar{\nu _{\tau }}$$ final states. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed in any channel and scalar leptoquarks are excluded at 95 % CL with masses up to $$m_{\mathrm {LQ1}}<$$ 1050 GeV for first-generation leptoquarks, $$m_{\mathrm {LQ2}}<$$ 1000 GeV for second-generation leptoquarks, $$m_{\mathrm {LQ3}}<$$ 625 GeV for third-generation leptoquarks in the $$b\nu _{\tau }\bar{b}\bar{\nu _{\tau }}$$ channel, and 200 $$< m_{\mathrm {LQ3}}< $$ 640 GeV in the $$t\nu _{\tau }\bar{t}\bar{\nu _{\tau }}$$ channel.