Legal Aid Agency payments to providers
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-16)

Check dates for processing (crime and civil) and planned BACS payments, get financial statements, switch to variable monthly payments.

Proposal to remove standard monthly payments from future contracts

We are seeking your views on the advantages of moving all providers on to a single system of monthly payments. This would mean removing the option of standard monthly payments (SMP) from future legal aid contracts. All providers would instead be moved to variable monthly payments (VMP).

We are inviting representative bodies and all providers to take part in an engagement exercise, which includes a questionnaire.

The engagement exercise will close on 30 June 2023.

We will publish a response to the engagement exercise in August 2023.

Read our SMP impact assessment (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/645131e62f62220013a6a3dd/SMP_Impact_Assessment.pdf) (PDF, 237 KB, 8 pages).

Read SMP engagement exercise (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64513171faf4aa0012e131c8/SMP_Engagement_Exercise.pdf) (PDF, 395 KB, 19 pages) for further information and how to provide feedback.

Management information online service

Using the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) MI online service, you can access, download and print financial statements (https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid-management-information-online) from your own office or from the whole firm.

This service is only available if you’re signed up to use to LAA online (https://lsconlinesso.legalservices.gov.uk).

PSOA dates 2025

The PSOA gives you a summary document of all account transactions.

PSOA delivery date | Period covered -|-

BACS payments

Once your bill is ready for payment, it might take up to 8 working days for the money to reach your account if you’re paid by BACS.

Help us process claims more quickly by waiting 8 days before contacting our customer services team about payments.

You’ll normally receive remittance advice on the payment date, unless there are problems with the postal system.

We make contract payments in the first week of the month (payment 1).

Note: the payment date stated on remittance advice slips will appear as 3 working days before you receive funds, due to additional processing time.

Monthly payment dates 2025

Monthly payment 1 | Monthly payment 2 | Monthly payment 3 | Monthly payment 4 | Monthly payment 5 -|-

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80097d40f0b62302691215/laa-payment-reconciliation-process.pdf)

Monthly LAA payment process (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80097d40f0b62302691215/laa-payment-reconciliation-process.pdf)

PDF, 144 KB, 4 pages

Variable monthly payments guidance

You can choose variable monthly payments if you provide civil (legal help) and crime (lower) work.

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a74c93fed915d502d6cafed/laa-variable-monthly-payments-guidance.pdf)

Guidance on LAA variable monthly payments scheme (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a74c93fed915d502d6cafed/laa-variable-monthly-payments-guidance.pdf)

PDF, 417 KB, 10 pages

Switch to the LAA variable monthly payments scheme (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a74f26b40f0b6360e47221a/LAA-request-switch-variable-monthly-payments.doc) (MS Word Document, 33 KB)

Civil processing

Check LAA timescales and targets for processing applications for civil legal aid funding (https://www.gov.uk/civil-processing-dates).

Crime processing

Check LAA timescales and targets for processing applications for criminal legal aid funding (https://www.gov.uk/crime-processing-dates).

Update your details

Note: we hold your details in a database.

Send any changes to your details in writing to:

Provider RecordsLegal Aid AgencyUnit B8Berkley WayViking Business ParkJarrowSouth TynesideNE31 1SF

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)