Civil time saving tips and helpful search tools

Improved guidance

We’ve made changes to our guidance, to clarify our approach to applications involving wider public interest.  This lets you know what you need to give us to support your application.

If you follow the guidance, it will help prevent us having to ask you for additional information after your application is submitted.

See the revised guidance: Strategic impact or wider public interest of the case

Any questions?

If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Dalgleish, Head of Civil and Children’s Legal Assistance Email: DalgleishWe@slab.org.uk

For full information: see legal aid guidance Translating and interpreting.

General principles

A&A/ABWOR: When you instruct an interpreter or translations under advice and assistance or ABWOR, you need to have an increase approved by us in advance to cover the cost of the proposed work.

Legal aid: When you instruct an interpreter or translation costs under legal aid, most of the time you don’t need our prior approval. You only need approval in advance if the cost is to exceed £3,000, or the translation or interpreting could be viewed as unusual work.

Rates: However, you need to make sure this work is being carried out at our published rates.

Find an interpreter

To assist in securing interpreter and translation services we have developed a Register of providers that will assist you to employ an interpreter and translator at a price that represents value for money and will ensure consistency around pricing for travel, waiting time and other associated charges.

See the Register of translators and interpreter.

Interpreter can’t do the work for our rates?

If the interpreter carrying out the work can’t do the job at our published rates, then you can apply to us for a Letter of Comfort. You need this confirmed in advance before you employ an interpreter who charges a higher rate.

Tips to help you avoid issues at the accounts stage

• make sure you tell your supplier that the case is funded by legal aid
• set out the hourly rate you are expecting to pay, and the limit of any authorised expenditure for the work
• tell the supplier to contact you before work commences if they are unable to comply with the limits given
• if you need us to agree to a higher rate, email us on accounts@slab.org.uk, before you instruct the work, and we will contact you to find a solution
• check and sign the interpreter/translator’s invoice or send notification confirming invoice is accurate.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the accounts process and the database contact support.accounts@slab.org.uk.

If you have questions about whether prior approval is needed contact merits@slab.org.uk.

What?

A streamlined application process if your client wants legal aid to apply under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 for an order under one of the five sections listed below.

Which orders?

The applicable orders are:

• s53(1) intervention order in relation to welfare powers
• s57(1) guardianship order including welfare powers
• s60(1) renewal of guardianship including welfare powers
• s62(1) joint guardianship order including welfare powers
• s63(1) appointment of a substitute guardian including welfare power

The orders above must be unopposed orders.

How?

Apply by submitting the following in the name of the proposed guardian or intervener:

• the Civ Sol application form on Legal Aid Online using category code AISAW
• the AWI applicant information form
• where you’re applying for renewal of an order, a copy of the order to be renewed
• there is no need to include any opponents in your application.

Remember

This streamlined process only applies to the case types listed above.

See our full guidance for all legal aid applications for Adults with Incapacity cases.

More information

If you have any questions, please contact:

Wendy Dalgleish
Head of Civil and Children’s Legal Assistance
Email: dalgleishwe@slab.org.uk