Legal Aid Newsletter | July 2025
Welcome to your July 2025 edition of the Legal Aid newsletter from Resolution.
If you have any feedback from this newsletter, or would like our team to look into any issues for you, please email us.
Resolution working for you – LAA cyber incident
We understand that the continuing uncertainty around the impact of the cyber incident is still causing concern to members in terms of legal aid for clients and also payments to firms.
Following a formal letter from Melanie Bataillard-Samuel, Resolution’s Chair, to Jane Harbottle, the LAA’s CEO, to raise members’ concerns, Elspeth Thomson and Dawn Wilson from the Legal Aid Committee met David Thomas, LAA’s Head of Contract Management and Assurance, to explain the impact the situation is having and encourage the LAA to reconsider some of their contingency arrangements and clarify their communications.
We raised concerns about the timeline for recovery, particularly in light of rumours suggesting it could take months or even years. The LAA told us that it will not be years, and that communications will be issued in the not-too-distant-future.
Legal Aid Committee’s hints and tips
Most firms need to claim the weekly contingency payments based on certificate bills submitted between February-April. If you need more money, eg because it wasn’t a typical claiming period or you have increased expenditure coming up, eg to pay disbursements, a LAC member recommends speaking to your Contract Manager. They may be able to get the payment increased.
See also LAA guidance on the contingency payments scheme.
27 June – significant changes to contingency arrangements
The LAA announced some significant changes to the contingency arrangements which they were able to make following The Criminal and Civil Legal Aid (Amendment) Regulations 2025.
These mean that the LAA has been able to extend the range of delegated functions to providers and remove some burdensome requirements.
We understand that the new arrangements will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
The latest position on contingency arrangements can be found on the incident webpage: Legal Aid Agency cyber-security incident GOV.UK page and the associated FAQ. The security incident page now has a contents list with hyper-links to the substantive sections.
The LAA sends updates to its nominated contact in a firm but anyone can sign up for regular email updates here.
Useful LAA services
Means Expert – Suitable queries: trapped capital, vulnerable clients with limited financial evidence, provisional assessment when the client has complex means and eligibility is unclear, complex calculations, capital in bank accounts, business assessments, property, delegated functions support/advice. The LAA aims for a 48 hour response: [email protected]
Domestic abuse evidence checks – If you are concerned that the evidence of domestic abuse or child protection they may not be accepted by the LAA you can have it checked by emailing [email protected]
The LAA will consider the evidence and advise you if it is acceptable. They aim to respond to these emails within 48 hours. They will provide an explanation if the evidence is not acceptable.
- You should provide the client’s name, opponent’s name, and proceedings to be applied for and your client’s involvement
- You should attach their approval email to your application when you are able to submit it via CCMS
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards
Resolution would like to congratulate all those who were nominated as well as those who won awards. It feels more important than ever to celebrate amazing legal aid lawyers at this difficult time.
We hope you enjoy this wonderful picture of Beverley Watkins (winner of the Resolution-sponsored Family Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year as much as we do!)
MoJ announces fee increases for housing and immigration/asylum work
The MoJ’s response to Civil Legal Aid: Towards a sustainable future has been published.
Housing and immigration ‘preparation and attendance’ fees will be increased to a minimum hourly rate of £65.35/£69.30 (non-London/London). Where this new minimum rate would not represent at least a 10% uplift, the fee will be uplifted by 10%.
The MoJ calculates that this will represent an increase of £20 million a year once fully implemented. Overall spending in these categories will increase by 24% and 30% respectively. The new fees will be implemented as soon as operationally possible.
The response makes little reference to fees in other areas of law: ‘The government acknowledges the views of respondents about the wider legal aid market, and in particular the issues raised around legal aid fees more generally. We will continue to consider measures to support sector sustainability across all categories of civil legal aid. The government welcomes continued feedback from the sector on the wider legal aid market and looks forward to continuing to work with the sector to ensure eligible individuals can access justice.’ However, Resolution will continue to press for urgent increases in family fees.
The MoJ also notes that they received responses in relation to office and remote advice requirements. They say they will review the Standard Civil Contract in these areas and consider next steps.
Exceptional and complex case funding
The Exceptional and Complex Cases Team submission quick guide has been updated covering how to apply, where to send paperwork and how long the exceptional case funding (ECF) process takes.