Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/10/enacted
Timestamp: 2015-05-06 13:45:39
Document Index: 134637548

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art.\n2', 'art.\n3', 'art 1', 'art.\n30', 'art 1']

Skip to main contentSkip to navigationlegislation.gov.ukThe National ArchivesHelpSite MapAccessibilityContact UsCymraegHomeAbout UsBrowse LegislationNew LegislationChanges To LegislationSearch LegislationSearch LegislationTitle: (or keywords in the title)Year:Number:Type:All Legislation (excluding draft)All Primary Legislation UK Public General Acts UK Local Acts Acts of the Scottish Parliament Acts of the National Assembly for Wales Measures of the National Assembly for Wales Church Measures Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Old Scottish Parliament Acts of the English Parliament Acts of the Old Irish Parliament Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain Northern Ireland Orders in Council Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Northern Ireland ParliamentAll Secondary Legislation UK Statutory Instruments Wales Statutory Instruments Scottish Statutory Instruments Northern Ireland Statutory Rules Church Instruments UK Ministerial Orders UK Statutory Rules and OrdersAll Draft Legislation UK Draft Statutory Instruments Scottish Draft Statutory Instruments Northern Ireland Draft Statutory RulesAll Impact Assessments UK Impact AssessmentsSearchAdvanced SearchLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012You are here:2012 c. 10Whole ActTable of ContentsContentExplanatory NotesMore ResourcesPreviousNextPlain ViewPrint OptionsWhat VersionLatest available (Revised)Original (As enacted)Advanced FeaturesShow Explanatory Notes for Sections Opening OptionsOpen whole ActOpen Act without schedulesOpen Schedules onlyMore ResourcesOriginal Print PDFCorrection Slip - 05/11/2012Correction Slip - 04/10/2012Correction Slip - 12/07/2012View moreStatus:This is the original version (as it was originally enacted).Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 20122012 CHAPTER 10An Act to make provision about legal aid; to make further provision about funding legal services; to make provision about costs and other amounts awarded in civil and criminal proceedings; to make provision about referral fees in connection with the provision of legal services; to make provision about sentencing offenders, including provision about release on licence or otherwise; to make provision about the collection of fines and other sums; to make provision about bail and about remand otherwise than on bail; to make provision about the employment, payment and transfer of persons detained in prisons and other institutions; to make provision about penalty notices for disorderly behaviour and cautions; to make provision about the rehabilitation of offenders; to create new offences of threatening with a weapon in public or on school premises and of causing serious injury by dangerous driving; to create a new offence relating to squatting; to increase penalties for offences relating to scrap metal dealing and to create a new offence relating to payment for scrap metal; and to amend section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.[1st May 2012]Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Part 1Legal aidProvision of legal aid1Lord Chancellor’s functions(1)The Lord Chancellor must secure that legal aid is made available in accordance with this Part.
2Arrangements(1)The Lord Chancellor may make such arrangements as the Lord Chancellor considers appropriate for the purposes of carrying out the Lord Chancellor’s functions under this Part.
3Standards of service(1)The Lord Chancellor may set and monitor standards in relation to services made available under this Part.
(2)The Lord Chancellor may, in particular, make arrangements for the accreditation of persons providing, or wishing to provide, such services by—
(b)persons authorised by the Lord Chancellor.
(3)Arrangements for accreditation must include—
(a)arrangements for monitoring services provided by accredited persons, and
(b)arrangements for withdrawing accreditation where the services provided are unsatisfactory.
(4)The Lord Chancellor may impose charges in connection with—
(a)accreditation,
(b)monitoring services provided by accredited persons, and
(c)authorising accreditation by others.
(5)Persons authorised by the Lord Chancellor may, in accordance with the terms of their authorisation, impose charges in connection with—
(a)accreditation, and
(b)monitoring services provided by accredited persons.
4Director of Legal Aid Casework(1)The Lord Chancellor must designate a civil servant as the Director of Legal Aid Casework (“the Director”).
(2)The Lord Chancellor must make arrangements for the provision to the Director by civil servants or other persons (or both) of such assistance as the Lord Chancellor considers appropriate.
(3)The Director must—
(a)comply with directions given by the Lord Chancellor about the carrying out of the Director’s functions under this Part, and
(b)have regard to guidance given by the Lord Chancellor about the carrying out of those functions.
(4)But the Lord Chancellor—
(b)must ensure that the Director acts independently of the Lord Chancellor when applying a direction or guidance under subsection (3) in relation to an individual case.
(5)The Lord Chancellor must publish any directions and guidance given under this section.
(6)Directions and guidance under this section may be revised or withdrawn from time to time.
5Delegation(1)The following functions of the Lord Chancellor may be exercised by, or by employees of, a person authorised by the Lord Chancellor for that purpose—
6Authorisations(1)An authorisation given for the purposes of section 5 or regulations under that section—
(c)may be varied or revoked at any time by the person who gave it, and
(d)does not prevent the Lord Chancellor, the Director or another person from exercising the function to which the authorisation relates.
(2)Anything done or omitted to be done by or in relation to a person authorised under section 5(1) or regulations under section 5(2) (or an employee of such a person) in, or in connection with, the exercise or purported exercise of the function concerned is to be treated for all purposes as done or omitted to be done by the Lord Chancellor.
(3)Anything done or omitted to be done by or in relation to a person authorised under section 5(3) or regulations under section 5(4) (or an employee of such a person) in, or in connection with, the exercise or purported exercise of the function concerned is to be treated for all purposes as done or omitted to be done by the Director.
(4)Subsections (2) and (3)—
(a)do not affect the rights and liabilities of the authorised person or the Lord Chancellor under any arrangements made between them,
(b)do not prevent any civil proceedings which could otherwise be brought by or against the authorised person (or an employee of that person) from being brought,
(c)do not apply for the purposes of criminal proceedings brought in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by the authorised person (or an employee of that person), and
(d)do not make the Lord Chancellor or the Director liable under section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 in respect of any act or omission of an authorised person if the act or omission is of a private nature.
(a)an authorisation given for the purposes of section 5 or regulations under that section is revoked, and
(b)at the time of the revocation so much of any contract made between the authorised person and the Lord Chancellor as relates to the exercise of the function is subsisting,
the authorised person is entitled to treat the contract as repudiated by the Lord Chancellor (and not as frustrated by reason of the revocation).
(6)In this section “authorised person” means a person authorised for the purposes of section 5 or regulations under that section.
7Annual report(1)As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each financial year, the Director must prepare an annual report for the financial year.
(2)The annual report must state how the Director has carried out the functions of the office in the financial year.
(3)The Director must send a copy of the report to the Lord Chancellor.
(a)lay the copy of the report before Parliament, and
(a)the period beginning on the day on which section 4 comes into force and ending on the following 31 March, and
Civil legal aid8Civil legal services(1)In this Part “legal services” means the following types of services—
9General cases(1)Civil legal services are to be available to an individual under this Part if—
10Exceptional cases(1)Civil legal services other than services described in Part 1 of Schedule 1 are to be available to an individual under this Part if subsection (2) or (4) is satisfied.
11Qualifying for civil legal aid(1)The Director must determine whether an individual qualifies under this Part for civil legal services in accordance with—
12Determinations(1)A determination by the Director that an individual qualifies under this Part for civil legal services must specify—
Criminal legal aid13Advice and assistance for individuals in custody(1)Initial advice and initial assistance are to be available under this Part to an individual who is arrested and held in custody at a police station or other premises if the Director has determined that the individual qualifies for such advice and assistance in accordance with this Part (and has not withdrawn the determination).
14Criminal proceedingsIn this Part “criminal proceedings” means—
15Advice and assistance for criminal proceedings(1)Regulations may provide that prescribed advice and assistance is to be available under this Part to an individual described in subsection (2) if—
16Representation for criminal proceedings(1)Representation for the purposes of criminal proceedings is to be available under this Part to an individual if—
(a)in relation to criminal proceedings mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (g) of section 14, an individual mentioned in that paragraph in relation to those proceedings, and
(b)in relation to criminal proceedings prescribed by regulations under section 14(h), a description of individual specified in the regulations in relation to those proceedings.
17Qualifying for representation(1)The relevant authority must determine whether an individual qualifies under this Part for representation for the purposes of criminal proceedings (whether provisionally or otherwise) in accordance with—
18Determinations by Director(1)The Director is authorised to determine whether an individual qualifies under this Part for representation for the purposes of criminal proceedings, except in circumstances in which a court is authorised to make the determination under regulations under section 19.
19Determinations by court(1)Regulations may—
20Provisional determinations(1)Regulations may provide that the Director or a court may make a provisional determination that an individual qualifies under this Part for representation for the purposes of criminal proceedings where—
Financial resources21Financial resources(1)A person may not make a relevant determination that an individual qualifies under this Part for services unless the person has determined that the individual’s financial resources are such that the individual is eligible for the services (and has not withdrawn the determination).
(a)make provision about when an individual’s financial resources are such that the individual is eligible under this Part for services, and
(b)make provision for exceptions from subsection (1).
(3)Regulations may provide that an individual is to be treated, for the purposes of regulations under subsection (2), as having or not having financial resources of a prescribed description.
(4)Regulations under subsection (3) may, in particular, provide that the individual is to be treated as having prescribed financial resources of a person of a prescribed description.
(5)Regulations may make provision about the making and withdrawal of determinations under this section.
(6)Regulations under subsection (5) may, in particular, include—
(a)provision about the form and content of determinations,
(b)provision permitting or requiring determinations to be made and withdrawn in writing, by telephone or by other prescribed means,
(c)provision setting time limits for determinations,
(d)provision about conditions which must be satisfied before a determination is made,
(e)provision about the circumstances in which a determination may or must be withdrawn,
(f)provision requiring information and documents to be provided,
(g)provision requiring individuals who are the subject of a determination to be informed of the reasons for making or withdrawing the determination, and
(h)provision for the review of a determination in respect of an individual’s financial resources.
(7)The circumstances prescribed under subsection (6)(e) may, in particular, relate to whether the individual who is the subject of the determination has complied with requirements imposed by or under this Part.
(8)In this section “relevant determination” means a determination that is required to be carried out in accordance with this section by—
(a)section 11 or 17, or
(b)regulations under section 15 or paragraph 4 of Schedule 3.
22Information about financial resources(1)The relevant authority may make an information request to—
(b)a relevant Northern Ireland Department, or
(c)the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (“the Commissioners”).
(2)An information request may be made only for the purposes of facilitating a determination about an individual’s financial resources for the purposes of this Part.
(3)An information request made to the Secretary of State or a relevant Northern Ireland Department under this section may request the disclosure of some or all of the following information—
(a)a relevant individual’s full name and any previous names;
(b)a relevant individual’s address and any previous addresses;
(c)a relevant individual’s date of birth;
(d)a relevant individual’s national insurance number;
(e)a relevant individual’s benefit status at a time specified in the request;
(f)information of a prescribed description.
(4)An information request made to the Commissioners under this section may request the disclosure of some or all of the following information—
(a)whether or not a relevant individual is employed or was employed at a time specified in the request;
(b)the name and address of the employer;
(c)whether or not a relevant individual is carrying on a business, trade or profession or was doing so at a time specified in the request;
(d)the name under which it is or was carried on;
(e)the address of any premises used for the purposes of carrying it on;
(f)a relevant individual’s national insurance number;
(g)a relevant individual’s benefit status at a time specified in the request;
(h)information of a prescribed description.
(5)The information that may be prescribed under subsections (3)(f) and (4)(h) includes, in particular, information relating to—
(a)prescribed income of a relevant individual for a prescribed period, and
(b)prescribed capital of a relevant individual.
(6)Information may not be prescribed under subsection (4)(h) without the Commissioners’ consent.
(7)The Secretary of State, the relevant Northern Ireland Departments and the Commissioners may disclose to the relevant authority information specified in an information request made under this section.
“benefit status”, in relation to an individual, means whether or not the individual is in receipt of a prescribed benefit or benefits and, if so—
(a)which benefit or benefits the individual is receiving,
(b)whether the individual is entitled to the benefit or benefits alone or jointly,
(c)in prescribed cases, the amount the individual is receiving by way of the benefit (or each of the benefits) (“the benefit amount”), and
(d)in prescribed cases, where the benefit consists of a number of elements, what those elements are and the amount included in respect of each element in calculating the benefit amount;
(b)in relation to circumstances for which no person is prescribed, the Director;
“a relevant individual”, in relation to an information request for the purposes of a determination about an individual’s financial resources, means—
(a)that individual, and
(b)any other individual whose financial resources are or may be relevant for the purposes of the determination;
“relevant Northern Ireland Department” means the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland or the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland.
Contributions and costs23Payment for services(1)An individual to whom services are made available under this Part is not to be required to make a payment in connection with the provision of the services, except where regulations provide otherwise.
(2)The regulations may, in particular, provide that in prescribed circumstances an individual must do one or more of the following—
(a)pay the cost of the services;
(b)pay a contribution in respect of the cost of the services of a prescribed amount;
(c)pay a prescribed amount in respect of administration costs.
(3)The regulations may, in particular, provide that where—
(a)civil legal services are provided to an individual under this Part in relation to a dispute, and
(b)prescribed conditions are met,
the individual must pay a prescribed amount which may exceed the cost of the civil legal services provided.
(4)The regulations may, in particular, make provision about the determination of the cost of services for the purposes of the regulations.
(5)The regulations may, in particular—
(a)provide for an individual’s liability under the regulations to make a payment to change or cease in prescribed circumstances,
(b)provide for an individual’s liability under the regulations to arise on a determination by a prescribed person,
(c)provide for such a determination to be varied or withdrawn by a prescribed person, and
(d)provide for the review of such a determination in respect of an individual’s liability to make a payment.
(6)The regulations may, in particular, provide that an individual is to be treated, for the purposes of the regulations, as having or not having financial resources of a prescribed description.
(7)Regulations under subsection (6) may, in particular, provide that the individual is to be treated as having prescribed financial resources of a person of a prescribed description.
(8)The regulations may, in particular, include provision for an amount to be payable entirely or partly—
(a)by periodical payments;
(b)by one or more lump sums;
(c)out of income;
(d)out of capital.
(9)The regulations may, in particular, include—
(a)provision requiring information and documents to be provided,
(b)provision about the time and manner in which payments must be made,
(c)provision about the person to whom payments must be made, and
(d)provision about what that person must do with the payments.
(10)The regulations may, in particular, make provision for the payment by an individual of interest, on such terms as may be prescribed, in respect of—
(a)a loan made to the individual under this Part,
(b)a payment in connection with the provision of services which is not required by the regulations to be made by the individual until after the time when the services are provided, and
(c)so much of a payment as remains unpaid after the time when it is required by the regulations to be made by the individual.
(11)The regulations—
(a)must make provision for the repayment to an individual of any amount in excess of the individual’s liability under the regulations or under section 24, and
(b)may make provision for the payment of interest on the excess.
“administration costs” means costs in connection with the administration of legal aid, including the administration of charges arising under section 25;
“prescribed amount” includes an amount calculated in a prescribed manner.
24Enforcement(1)Regulations may make provision about the enforcement of an obligation to make a payment imposed under section 23.
(2)The regulations may, in particular, make provision for costs incurred in connection with the enforcement of an individual’s obligation to make a payment to be recovered from the individual.
(a)provide that overdue amounts are recoverable summarily as a civil debt;
(b)provide that overdue amounts are recoverable as if they were payable under an order of the High Court or a county court, if the court in question so orders on the application of the person to whom the amounts are due.
(4)Regulations under this section may include provision requiring information and documents to be provided.
(5)Schedule 2 (criminal legal aid: motor vehicle orders) has effect.
25Charges on property in connection with civil legal services(1)Where civil legal services are made available to an individual under this Part, the amounts described in subsection (2) are to constitute a first charge on—
26Costs in civil proceedings(1)Costs ordered against an individual in relevant civil proceedings must not exceed the amount (if any) which it is reasonable for the individual to pay having regard to all the circumstances, including—
(a)the financial resources of all of the parties to the proceedings, and
(b)their conduct in connection with the dispute to which the proceedings relate.
(2)In subsection (1) “relevant civil proceedings”, in relation to an individual, means—
(a)proceedings for the purposes of which civil legal services are made available to the individual under this Part, or
(b)if such services are made available to the individual under this Part for the purposes of only part of proceedings, that part of the proceedings.
(4)In assessing for the purposes of subsection (1) the financial resources of an individual to whom civil legal services are made available, the following must not be taken into account, except so far as prescribed—
(a)the individual’s clothes and household furniture, and
(b)the implements of the individual’s trade.
(5)Subject to subsections (1) to (4), regulations may make provision about costs in relation to proceedings for the purposes of which civil legal services are made available under this Part.
(a)specifying the principles to be applied in determining the amount of any costs which may be awarded against a party to whom civil legal services are made available under this Part,
(c)as to the cases in which, and the extent to which, such a party may be required to give security for costs and the manner in which it is to be given,
(d)requiring the payment by the Lord Chancellor of the whole or part of any costs incurred by a party to whom civil legal services are not made available under this Part,
(e)specifying the principles to be applied in determining the amount of costs which may be awarded to a party to whom civil legal services are made available under this Part,
(f)as to the court, tribunal or other person by whom the amount of any costs is to be determined, and
(g)as to the extent to which any determination of that amount is to be final.
(7)Regulations may provide that an individual is to be treated, for the purposes of subsection (1) or regulations under subsection (3) or (5), as having or not having financial resources of a prescribed description (but such regulations have effect subject to subsection (4)).
(8)Regulations under subsection (7) may, in particular, provide that the individual is to be treated as having prescribed financial resources of a person of a prescribed description.
(9)Regulations under this section may include provision requiring information and documents to be provided.
Providers of services etc27Choice of provider of services etc(1)The Lord Chancellor’s duty under section 1(1) does not include a duty to secure that, where services are made available to an individual under this Part, they are made available by the means selected by the individual.
(2)The Lord Chancellor may discharge that duty, in particular, by arranging for the services to be provided by telephone or by other electronic means.
(3)The Lord Chancellor’s duty under section 1(1) does not include a duty to secure that, where services are made available to an individual under this Part, they are made available by a person selected by the individual, subject to subsections (4) to (10).
(4)An individual who qualifies under this Part for representation for the purposes of criminal proceedings by virtue of a determination under section 16 may select any representative or representatives willing to act for the individual, subject to regulations under subsection (6).
(5)Where an individual exercises that right, representation by the selected representative or representatives is to be available under this Part for the purposes of the proceedings.
(6)Regulations may provide that in prescribed circumstances—
(a)the right conferred by subsection (4) is not to apply in cases of prescribed descriptions,
(b)an individual who has been provided with advice or assistance in accordance with section 13 or regulations under section 15 by a person selected by the individual is to be taken to have selected that person under subsection (4),
(c)the right conferred by subsection (4) is not to include a right to select a representative of a prescribed description,
(d)that right is to select only a representative located in a prescribed area or of a prescribed description,
(e)that right is to select not more than a prescribed number of representatives to act at any one time, and
(7)Regulations under subsection (6)(b) may prescribe circumstances in which an individual is to be taken to have selected a person to provide advice or assistance.
(8)Regulations may provide that in prescribed circumstances the Lord Chancellor is not required to make available representation for an individual by a prescribed representative.
(9)Provision made under subsection (8) does not prejudice any right of the individual to select another representative.
(10)The circumstances which may be prescribed under this section include that a determination has been made by a prescribed person.
28Position of providers of services(1)The fact that services provided for an individual are or could be provided under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part does not affect—
(a)the relationship between the individual and the person by whom the services are provided,
(b)any privilege arising out of that relationship, or
(c)any right which the individual may have to be indemnified by another person in respect of expenses incurred by the individual,
except to the extent that regulations provide otherwise.
(2)A person who provides services under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part must not take any payment in respect of the services apart from—
(a)payment made in accordance with the arrangements, and
(b)payment authorised by the Lord Chancellor to be taken.
(3)Regulations may provide that the withdrawal of a determination that an individual qualifies for prescribed services under this Part does not affect the right of any person who has provided such services to the individual under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part to remuneration for work done before the date of the withdrawal.
29Code of conduct(1)The Lord Chancellor must publish a code of conduct to be observed by the following persons when providing services to an individual under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part—
(a)civil servants, and
(b)employees of a body established and maintained by the Lord Chancellor.
(2)The code must include—
(a)duties to avoid discrimination,
(b)duties to protect the interests of the individuals for whom services are provided,
(c)duties to courts and tribunals,
(d)duties to avoid conflicts of interest,
(e)duties of confidentiality, and
(f)duties on persons who are members of a professional body to comply with the rules of the body.
(3)The Lord Chancellor must lay the code, and any revision of the code, before Parliament.
(4)The persons described in subsection (1)(a) and (b) are not subject to the direction of the Lord Chancellor when providing services to an individual under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part.
30Position of other parties, courts and tribunals(1)Except as expressly provided by regulations, any rights conferred by or under this Part on an individual for whom services are provided under this Part for the purposes of proceedings do not affect—
(b)the principles on which the discretion of a court or tribunal is normally exercised.
(2)Regulations may make provision about the procedure of a court or tribunal in relation to services made available under this Part.
(3)Regulations under subsection (2) may, in particular, authorise the exercise of the functions of a court or tribunal by—
(a)a member or officer of that court or tribunal, or
(b)another court or tribunal.
Supplementary31Legal aid for legal personsSchedule 3 (legal aid for legal persons) has effect.
32Foreign law(1)The civil legal services described in Part 1 of Schedule 1 do not include services relating to any law other than the law of England and Wales, except—
33Restriction on disclosure of information about financial resources(1)A person to whom information is disclosed under section 22 or this subsection may disclose the information to any person to whom its disclosure is necessary or expedient in connection with facilitating a determination in respect of an individual’s financial resources that is required under section 21.
34Restriction on disclosure of other information(1)This section applies to information that is provided—
35Exceptions from restriction under section 34(1)Section 34(2) does not prevent the disclosure of information—
36Misrepresentation(1)This section applies where a person—
37Status of Director and Lord Chancellor(1)The Director is to carry out the functions of the office on behalf of the Crown.
38Abolition of Legal Services Commission(1)The Legal Services Commission ceases to exist.
(a)beginning with end of the last financial year for which the Legal Services Commission produced a report and accounts in accordance with paragraphs 14 and 16 of Schedule 1 to the Access to Justice Act 1999, and
(b)ending immediately before the day on which subsection (1) comes into force;
39Consequential and transitional provision(1)Schedule 5 (legal aid: consequential amendments) has effect.
40Northern Ireland: information about financial resourcesSchedule 6 (Northern Ireland: information about financial resources) has effect.
41Orders, regulations and directions(1)Orders, regulations and directions under this Part—
(b)during which both