Mailshots
To read mailshots about the civil simplification project, click here.
Phases of the project
To read more about the different phases of the project, click on the links below.
Phase 1 – March 2009
Phase 2 – Implementation due around spring 2010
Phase 3 – Work still to start
Tapering in financial eligibility
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PHASE 1 – March 2009
- new civil application forms
- stage reporting
- proposals for road shows for the profession
New civil forms
After a broad-ranging consultation with civil legal aid practitioners we sent out our new civil legal aid forms. The main changes are –
- having different application forms to cover family and non-family cases
- reducing the size of the forms
- including a section on the civil application form to let you tell us about any special urgency work that has been done in terms of regulation 18(1)(a)
- on the same form, adding a section allowing you to apply for our approval for any special urgency work to be done in terms of regulation 18(1)b) and
- having the client’s financial mandate, where specially urgent work has been done or is to be done, as part of the initial application form.
The new forms and guidance on completing them are also available in PDF format on our website.
We have also brought in new sanction application forms that include templates for certain experts. This make it easier and quicker to get sanction to employ experts, as we need very little information. The templates are similar to the advice and assistance templates that are very popular with the profession.
On all the new forms, we have removed any requests for unnecessary information. We have been piloting the use of the new forms and the feedback has been very positive, with those involved finding them straightforward and clear to use.
Stage reporting
Stage reporting was introduced as part of the civil legal aid reform package in October 2003. It was intended that these reports would allow us to consider whether there had been any changes to the underlying assumptions that led us to grant legal aid. However, solicitors have not always viewed this favourably. Many of you have criticised considerably the requirement to send us routine stage reports for all applications, as it is seen as a paper-filling exercise only. In addition, only a few stage reports contain information that causes us any real concern or raises issues that need further examination.
As a result we have changed stage reporting so you no longer have to send us reports in all cases. We will be focusing more on long-running and high-cost cases. In addition, we want to place far more responsibility than is currently the case on the solicitor acting for giving us information about significant changes. We still expect you to send us a report on any changes that might impact on the grant of civil legal aid without us having to prompt a report on progress.
Online systems
Civil Legal Aid Online was introduced on 24 September 2009. Legal Aid Online has become very popular for advice and assistance cases, and we expect the new system for civil legal aid applications to reflect this. The benefits of civil Legal Aid Online include:
- quick form filling - the use of pick lists and automatic filling in of information you have already given us eliminates duplication of effort
- fewer errors and delays – as an electronic form can’t be sent if there is incomplete or incorrect information
- administrative staff can fill in and send us forms
- automatic calculation and display of a client's probable contribution, based on the financial details in the application
- you can query case details and track progress
- you will now be able to attach documents and save drafts.
To find out more about Legal Aid Online, go to the Legal Aid Online section of our website.
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