Standard Crime Contract 2017
Contract documents for providers of criminal legal aid services, 2017.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
The 2017 standard crime contract was replaced by the 2022 standard crime contract 2022 on 1 October 2022
The 2017 standard crime contract ran from 1 April 2017 to 30 September 2022.
Contract
The standard crime contract governs the provision of criminal legal aid services and consists of 4 documents:
- standard terms
- specification
- schedule
- contract for signature.
Standard terms
The standard terms govern the commercial relationship between the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and legal aid providers.
The standard terms under the 2017 standard crime contract were amended as follows:
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Version 3 - the standard terms were amended effective from 1 January 2021 to support the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union on the 31 December 2020.
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Version 2 - the standard terms were amended effective from 25 May 2018 to take account of the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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Version 1 – the original version of the standard terms effective from 1 April 2017.
Full details of the amendments made to the standard terms are listed in the above document named tables of amendments to 2017 standard crime contract.
Specification
The specification sets out the rules for carrying out publicly funded criminal defence work in England and Wales. The rates for this work can be found in legal aid legislation.
The specification under the 2017 standard crime contract was amended as follows:
- Version 10 - the specification was amended effective from 1 November 2021 in relation to remote working for supervisors.
- Version 9 - the specification was amended effective from 7 June 2021 for advice and assistance for pre-charge engagement.
- Version 8 - the specification was amended effective from 1 January 2021 to support the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union on the 31 December 2020.
- Version 7 - the specification was amended effective from 19 October 2020 for the sending hearing fixed fee.
- Version 6 - the specification was amended effective from 26 June 2020 for the intensive paper review process rolled out in parole board cases.
- Version 5 - the specification was amended effective from 22 July 2019 for parole board reconsideration hearings.
- Version 4 - the duty solicitor provisions (including the 14 hours’ requirement) of the specification were amended effective from 23 July 2018.
- Version 3 - the specification was amended effective from 12 June 2018 following minor clarificatory changes on the scope of legal aid for prison law.
- Version 2 - the specification was amended effective from 21 February 2018 following changes to the scope of legal aid for prison law.
- Version 1 – the original version of the specification effective from 1 April 2017.
Full details of the amendments made to the specification are listed in the above document named tables of amendments to 2017 standard crime contract.
Sample schedule
This sets out provisions specific to individual providers. Use the sample schedule for illustration as schedules vary between providers.
Sample contract for signature
The contract for signature gives effect to the 2017 standard crime contract as a whole. Use the sample contract for signature for illustration as they vary between providers.
Associated contract documents
Duty solicitor guidance 2018
This was introduced alongside the specification (version 4) that came into force on 23 July 2018. It sets out how the LAA interprets the duty solicitor requirements, including the 14 hours’ requirement.
Training materials
Training materials are available to provide an overview of the 2017 standard crime contract:
Provider welcome pack – version 2 (effective from 23 July 2018) – this provides an overview of the contract from 23 July 2018 when changes were made to the duty solicitor requirements.
Provider welcome pack – version 1 (effective from 1 April 2017 to 22 July 2018) – this provides an overview of the contract before the changes were made to the duty solicitor requirements on 23 July 2018.
Overview module of digital requirements – this provides an overview of the digital requirements in the contract.
Overview module of prison law requirements – this provides an overview of the prison law requirements of the contract. It has been updated to include the changes made to the prison law section (section 12) in versions 2, 3,5 and 6 of the specification.
Category definitions
This sets out the legal definitions of each category of law covered by the 2017 standard crime contract.
Monthly payment protocol
This is the document that sets out the LAA approach to reconciliation and the review and amendment of monthly payments due under the specification of the 2017 standard crime contract.