Covid-19: Guidance on making interim claims for payment [UPDATED]

• The current interim outlay process remains unchanged
• To submit a claim for payment of the fees incurred to date the following process should be followed.
  • Within the synopsis tab select ‘Final’

• • Proceed to complete the synopsis as you normally would until the question asking has the case concluded appears
  • On reaching this question click ‘No’ and enter the text ‘Covid-19’ in the mandatory free text box

• • Then click save and proceed to add work items and submit your claim
• On conclusion of the case, or to make a subsequent claim for an interim payment of outlays you will require to submit a supplementary payment request.

• You should note that the fees and outlays incurred can be submitted within the same claim
  • Complete the ‘final’ synopsis as you normally would but when asked: ‘Is the matter concluded?’ select ‘No’.
  • Then enter the reason for submission as ‘Covid-19’

• • Then click save and proceed to add the fees and the outlays that you have incurred to date.
• On conclusion of the case, or to make a subsequent claim for an interim payment outlays, you will require to submit a supplementary payment request.

• The fees allowable in these cases is determined by the answers that you provide within the synopsis.
• It is necessary to complete the ‘Final’ synopsis.
• An option has now been included for you to confirm the case is affected by the Covid-19 situation.

ABWOR fixed payments

• Where the synopsis asks you to select the reason for submission of your claim.

• • Warrant issued/Covid-19: Should be used where either of these apply. It is essential that you make this election to enable subsequent claims for add-on fees, where appropriate, to be made.
  • Long deferred sentence: Should only be used where the sentence has been deferred for more than 3-months, even if that deferred sentence is due to Covid-19. This will retain the current process that already allows for full submission in these circumstances.
  • Case has fully concluded: Should never be used where the payment request is one that is seeking an interim payment even where this may be the full payment due in the case.
• On selection of ‘Warrant issued/Covid-19’ enter a date and select the appropriate option

• • On completion of the synopsis click ‘save’
  • The relevant fixed fee will be automatically generated and you can proceed to add the appropriate further fees and outlays that you have incurred to date.
  • On conclusion of the case, or to make a subsequent claim for an interim payment outlays, you will require to submit a supplementary payment request.

• The fees allowable in these cases is determined by the answers that you provide within the synopsis.
• It is necessary to complete the ‘Final’ synopsis.
• Answer all questions as appropriate and proceed to select if the case has, or has not, been to trial.
• An option has now been included for you to confirm the case is affected by the Covid-19 situation.

Criminal fixed payments

• There is a slight variation on the process depending on whether the case went to trial and the guidance below explains how you should proceed depending on how you respond.

Accused case did not proceed to trial selected

• Select the stage the case reached prior to any deferred sentences as normal

• You are then required to select the reason for submission of your account from a drop down list of options

• It is important that you make the correct selection at this stage as follows
  • Warrant issued/Covid – 19: Should be used where either of these apply. It is essential that you make this election to enable subsequent claims for add-on fees, where appropriate, to be made.
  • Long deferred sentence: Should only be used where the sentence has been deferred for more than 3-months, even if that deferred sentence is due to Covid-19. This will retain the current process that already allows for full submission in these circumstances.
  • Case has fully concluded: Should never be used where the payment request is one that is seeking an interim payment even where this may be the full payment due in the case.
• On completion of the synopsis click ‘save’.
• The relevant fixed fee will be automatically generated and you can proceed to add the appropriate further fees and outlays that you have incurred to date.
• On conclusion of the case, or to claim further interim outlays, you will require to submit a supplementary payment request.

Accused case did proceed to trial

• Select the appropriate option on length of trial

• You are then required to select the reason for submission of your account from a drop down list of options

• It is important that you make the correct selection at this stage as follows
  • Warrant issued/Covid – 19: Should be used where either of these apply.
  • Long deferred sentence: Should only be used where the sentence has been deferred for more than 3-months, even if that deferred sentence is due to Covid-19. This will retain the current process that already allows for full submission in these circumstances.
  • Case has fully concluded: Should never be used where the payment request is one that is seeking an interim payment
• On completion of the synopsis click ‘save’.
• The relevant fixed fee will be automatically generated and you can proceed to add further fees and outlays that you have incurred to date.
• On conclusion of the case, or to claim further interim outlays, you will require to submit a supplementary payment request

Supplementary claims

• The Supplementary synopsis has also been updated to include the provision for submission where the case is delayed as a result of Covid-19
• This means if you have previously submitted your claim (on the basis of a warrant being issued or a long deferred sentence) you can submit a supplementary claim should you have completed further work where the case is further delayed as a result of Covid-19.
• You can continue to select ‘Long Deferred Sentence’ where this has been deferred for a period greater than 3-months.