30 May - Update 10 - Advice and assistance including accounts

This latest update provides information on our computer system and details on registration and how to make increase requests. Also included are details on the new advice and assistance accounts forms, which we send to you for each case. The guidance document includes examples of each new accounts synopsis form, and key points and question by question guidance notes and to help you correctly complete them. Read:

• update 10
  
  
• Guidance: Accounts synopsis forms for civil, children's and criminal advice and assistance/ ABWOR and guidance on how to complete them.
  
  

22 May - Update 9 - Civil advice and assistance guidance

This update provides further guidance on the civil advice and assistance reforms that came into effect on 1 May 2007 and includes:

• Read the cover letter
  
  
• Further guidance on completing the new forms – this covers some of the common questions and issues that solicitors have been raising since the changes came into use on 1 May 2007. This also includes guidance on applying for increases in authorised expenditure for applications and previous increases granted before 1 May 2007.
  
  
• Civil advice and assistance reform – your guide to the changes –provides you with details on how civil advice and assistance operates. It includes greater detail on some elements of the new system, such as diagnostic advice and assistance, as well as flowcharts of the key steps in an application. The flowcharts are also available as a separate document.

1 May - Advice and assistance reforms are now in force

You should now only use the following forms to make applications for advice and assistance/ABWOR:

• AA/APP/CIV - application for civil advice and assistance/ABWOR
• AA/APP/CRIM - application for criminal advice and assistance/ABWOR
• AA/APP/CHL - application for children's advice and assistance.

To apply for an increase in authorised expenditure you should use:

• AA/INC/CIV - application for increase in authorised expenditure for civil advice and assistance/ABWOR
• AA/INC- use the old form for application for criminal advice and assistance/ABWOR until the new form is sent to you
• AA/INC/CHL - application for increase in authorised expenditure children's advice and assistance
  

You should use our guidance to help you complete these forms. Our guidance also covers the reforms that are now in effect to civil advice and assistance - where there is now diagnostic or standard advice and assistance, and other changes.

Civil Legal Assistance Handbook - new edition

A new edition of the Civil Legal Assistance Handbook is now available online. This updated version includes all of the civil advice and assistance changes effective 1 May 2007. Our new version is in a revised format that is easier to use and includes an improved search service. If you have this Handbook as a "favourite" in your web browser, you should update it to the new web page address.

Starter packs of forms

All civil advice and assistance starter packs have been dispatched to firms. We expect to issue criminal advice and assistance forms from Thursday 26 April. Please read update 7 for civil and update 8 for criminal about what to do if you have not received forms by 30 April.

Update for Legal Aid Online users - 30 April 2007

This Update sent by email and available on our website, explains changes being made to Legal Aid Online linked to the advice and assistance reforms. It also announces a new Legal Aid Online Client Mandate Form for advice and assistance that should be used from 1 May 2007, and details on how to make civil advice and assistance increase applications online. Read more in the update.

Update 8 - 26 April 2007 - Criminal advice and assistance

This update provides information on criminal advice and assistance and guidance on the new application form. You can read the key points summarising the changes for criminal (also included in the update letter).

Update letter covering:

• Update letter – this letter includes:
  • Key points about the changes and the new criminal advice and assistance/ABWOR form
  • Using the new forms and the Category Codes Card
  • Getting the new forms – including what to do if you have not received a starter pack and how to order more forms including an order form for our printers
  • Legal Aid Online
  • Information for solicitors who provide civil or children’s advice and assistance
  • What’s next and who to contact with questions

• How to complete the criminal advice and assistance/ ABWOR application form – containing key points, question by question guidance notes for completing the form and 3 model applications (copies of these applications are not available online)

• Category Codes Card – use this card to identify the correct code to use
  
  
• Equality Card – you should provide this card to the applicant to enable completion of Section H of the advice and assistance application forms. The card is also available in other languages.
  
  

Update 7 - 25 April 2007 - Civil advice and assistance

This update provides a range of guidance on civil advice and assistance. You can read the key points summarising the changes (also included in the update letter).

• Update letter covering:

  1. Key points about the changes and the new civil advice and assistance/ABWOR forms - these two pages provide you with the essential information about the changes

  2. Amendments required to the Category Codes Card and templates to codes list

  3. Using the new forms

  4. Getting the new forms – including what to do if you have not received a starter pack and how to order more forms including an order form for our printers

  5. Legal Aid Online

  6. Information for solicitors who provide criminal or children’s advice and assistance

  7. What’s next and who to contact with questions

• How to complete the civil advice and assistance/ ABWOR application form – containing key points, question by question guidance notes for completing the form and 4 model applications (copies of these applications are not available online)

• How to complete the increased in authorised expenditure form – containing key points, question by question guidance notes for completing the form and 3 model applications (copies of these applications are not available online)

• Increases in authorised expenditure – an extract from the Civil Legal Assistance Handbook providing increase templates, guidance and limits of authorised expenditure. This document also includes a list showing each template and which category code applies to that template.

• Category Codes Card – use this card to identify the correct code to use and to check if a civil advice and assistance subject is standard or diagnostic.

• Equality Card – you should provide this card to the applicant to enable completion of Section H of the advice and assistance application forms. The card is also available in other languages.

Legal Aid Online

• read more about Legal Aid Online
  
  
• register your interest in Legal Aid Online

Update 6 - 19 April 2007

Update 5 - 5 April 2007

Read this update about ordering starter packs of advice and assistance forms. A customised letter has been sent to each solicitor. You can read the update and use the order form to request starter packs of forms.

Update 4 - 14 March 2007

Advice and assistance reforms 2007

This update provides details about this phase of the reforms, including details of the:

• major changes in civil advice and assistance, which will come into force on 1 May 2007

• new civil and criminal advice and assistance application and increase forms which will come into use on 1 May 2007
  
• local seminars which we are holding in March and April 2007 to inform you about the changes.

• services available through Legal Aid Online which can bring benefits to your firm for how you deal with applications and accounts.

The update also contains information for civil legal aid practitioners on changes to eligibility rules on pension credit which come into effect on 9 April 2007 where delaying applications for certain clients may benefit them.

• Read the update in pdf format
  
  
• Book a place at an information seminar for you and colleagues
• read details of venues for seminars

• Legal Aid Online
  • read more about Legal Aid Online
    
• register your interest in Legal Aid Online