https://www.slab.org.uk/news/closure-of-legacy-systems-means-all-new-claims-and-accounts-must-be-submitted-using-legal-aid-online-from-17-june-2024/
7 June 2024
Solicitors will no longer be able to submit claims using our legacy Financial Accounting & Management System (FAMs) and the E-business suite from 17 June 2024.
Any new claims or accounts will require to be submitted using our Legal Aid Online (LAOL) system.
We anticipate this necessary change will affect a small number of cases and we have provided guidance below on how to manage the move to LAOL.
If you require any guidance or advice, please contact Accounts System Specialist Lynne Dunlop, E: dunloply@slab.org.uk.
Where a draft account has been created on E-business claim, we would ask that you prepare an account to include all work carried out on the case to-date and submit the account on FAMs/E-business prior to 17 June 2024.
Please note, it will not be possible to update a draft account or submit a claim created from draft after this date, as any draft accounts will be lost.
From 17 June, you are required to use legal aid online (LAOL) if you wish to submit further interim claims for cases that have not concluded.
This because the option to use the FAMs/e-business system will no longer be available. Please, note that there is no paper option for submitting interim claims using legal aid online.
When claiming interim outlays using the online system (LAOL) you must upload the invoices in a format that complies with our published guidance.
When claiming interim fees using the online system (LAOL) you must follow the interim fees process.
You should be careful not to claim for work items that have been claimed for previously, as this will result in duplicate payments being made which will require you to make repayment to the Fund.
For concluded cases submitted on or after 17 June 2024, any final/supplementary accounts will need to be prepared and submitted on paper.
This is because the deductions of previous interim claims submitted and paid on FAMs/e-business will require to be done manually by the Assessment Officer responsible for assessing the account.
As our old and new accounts systems are not compatible with one another it is therefore not possible for the systems to make the deductions.
Please see our guidance on how to submit paper final/supplementary accounts.
When submitting a claim on LAOL you will be notified if a previous claim has been paid on FAMs/E-business after you have entered the legal aid reference number (LARN).
Where this occurs, the system will prompt you to “migrate” the previous payments.
You should follow the guidance below.
Please contact Accounts System Specialist Lynne Dunlop, E: dunloply@slab.org.uk.
All solicitor updates
29 November 2024
This update offers guidance and support for submitting interim claims for fees and outlays prior to the conclusion of cases/completion of the proceedings