Civil news: Client and Cost Management System roll-out complete this September
Useful tips on using the Client and Cost Management System.
On 29 September 2014, we complete our gradual roll-out of the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) to all civil and family legal aid providers.
So far, around 40% of providers are using the system and we have processed over 11,000 applications through CCMS. Use of the system is increasing weekly.
Using CCMS early on
We encourage you to use CCMS early on so that you can get used to the system before it’s mandated.
Although we don’t intend to mandate until 2015 – giving you 3 months notice – we have found that providers who do our training in advance find it easier to use CCMS.
Therefore, we recommend you do our online training, available on the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) training website, and refer to the complementary quick guides on the CCMS website – links below.
Tips on using CCMS
Correct scope
When making an application or amendment, insert the correct scope on your certificate.
We have 2 quick guides that summarise the application process: ‘making a legal aid application’ and ‘single-stage emergency application’.
One lead case
When submitting linked family applications, select only one lead case and link all cases to the lead certificate.
Please refer to the ‘making a legal aid application’ quick guide for more information.
Special Children Act cases
When submitting these, always submit as substantive applications, not emergency applications.
Electronic evidence
You must select ‘documents sent’ from the drop-down list after you’ve submitted ‘all’ your evidence, otherwise, the case won’t proceed on the system.
Please refer to the ‘submitting electronic evidence’ quick guide for more information.
No means information
When requesting an amendment to the scope and cost of your certificate, you don’t need to enter means information so don’t click the ‘means reassessment’ link.
Please refer to the ‘amendments’ quick guide.
Revised CCMS website
This has been updated to make it easier for you to find what you need, including the quick guides mentioned above.
The home page contains the following tabs:
- before using CCMS: how to start using CCMS, including getting yourself and others set up on the system
- using CCMS: using the system, including frequently asked questions, a list of current users and what to do if there is a problem with the system
- enhancing CCMS: information/guidance on recent enhancements plus information on our on-going enhancements programme, including how you can feed into this
- training and quick guides: a link to our training website and a full list of all our quick guides by user group and category
- contacts: a list of who to contact plus information about our feedback and complaints processes
If you can’t find what you need on the site, please email putting ‘CCMS website enquiry’ in the subject header box.