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 $t\nu _{\tau }\bar{t}\bar{\nu _{\tau }}$