Related or linked accounts

Where your client has one grant of children’s legal aid in respect of conjoined proceedings, this covers all related cases. The account should confirm the names of all children in relation to whom work is being undertaken.

Please note that you still have to ensure that you make a separate children’s legal aid application for each distinct court proceeding as listed in [Regulation 3 (distinct proceedings) of the children’s regulations].

If your client has more than one grant of children’s legal aid in respect of the conjoined proceedings, only one account should be submitted under the youngest child’s certificate and “Nil” accounts should be submitted for the other certificates held by your client.

The same applies where a safeguarder or curator ad litem has more than one grant of children’s legal aid to represent multiple children in connection with conjoined proceedings.

Where the work differs greatly in relation to the individual children, you may elect to submit separate accounts. The accounts should be apportioned where appropriate and you should quote all related references. Where multiple accounts are being submitted these shall be lodged together where possible.