Guidance
Legal aid guidance
General information including on costs assessment and remuneration for civil and crime matters.
Civil
details certain aspects of legal aid such as:
- prior authorities (including authorities for counsel and experts in Children Act cases)
- funding for cases outside England and Wales
helps clients with civil legal problems.
Lord Chancellor’s guidance
Costs assessment guidance
The Costs assessment guidance has been amended to take account of the 2018 Standard Civil Contract and in order to clarify that reasonable time may be claimed for submitting communications and applications via CCMS.
There are 3 versions of the costs assessment guidance, one for use with the 2010 Standard Civil Contracts, one for use with the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Standard Civil Contracts and the third for use with the 2018 Standard Civil Contract.
For use with the 2018 contract:
For use with the 2010 contract:
For use with the 2013, 2014 and 2015 contract:
Other guidance
Crime
sets out the Legal Aid Agency’s approach to costs assessment where work is undertaken in the magistrates’ court under a representation order. The guidance is applied when assessing non standard fee claims and for costs compliance audits on fee claims.
The Crown Court guidance covers all aspects of Crown Court legal aid fees under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) and Litigators’ Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS).
Case enquiry contact lists
Case Enquiry Contact Lists for Advocates
Last updated 6 December 2019 + show all updates
- Updated crime contact details desk aid.
- Updated version of the Criminal Bills Assessment Manual published.
- Updated contact desk aid for advocates.
- Publication of guidance update 'Civil Legal Advice (CLA) - September 2019 changes'
- Updated Civil Finance handbook uploaded.
- Updated Civil Contact Desk Aid.
- Update of Civil finance handbook.
- Paying for your civil legal aid leaflet updated
- Publication of the Position of the Legal Aid Agency as to undertaking work with the National Centre for Domestic Violence.
- Update to the The electronic handbook
- Update to guidance
- Update to costs assessment guidance
- Update to Cost Assessment Guidance
- LAA statutory charge position statement
- 'Criminal Bills Assessment Manual' updated with June 2018 Prison Law Amendments.
- Electronic handbook updated.
- Update to Criminal Bills Assessment Manual
- Evidence requirements for private family law matters guidance and Lord Chancellor's guidance (under section 4 of LASPO) updated.
- Contact details updated: 'Paying for your civil legal aid' and 'The statutory charge manual'.
- The Criminal Bills Assessment Manual updated to reflect the 2017 Standard Crime Contract changes and adds clarity to other areas, in particular the April 2017 changes to Police bail.
- Contact details desk aid: criminal updated.
- Advocates contact details desk aid added to page.
- Civil and criminal contact details desk aids published.
- Narrative and guidance: legal aid document updated.
- 'Lord Chancellor's guidance (under section 4 of LASPO)' updated.
- Updated evidence requirements for private family law matters guidance published.
- Criminal bills assessment manual updated.
- Costs assessment guidance 2013 updated.
- Evidence requirements for private family law document updated.
- Post-judgment notice to Director of Legal Aid Casework (LAC): IS v Director of LAC and Lord Chancellor: ECF Guidance (non-inquests) added
- Updated Lord Chancellor funding guidance (non-inquests) published 9 June 2015
- Costs assessment guidance for 2010, 2013 and 2014 Standard Civil Contracts updated.
- A guide to claiming electronic evidence as pages of prosecution evidence published.
- New Lord Chancellor's guidance
- Notice to Director of Legal Aid Casework added
- First published.