Legal aid guidance
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-27)

General information including on costs assessment and remuneration for civil and crime matters.

Civil

Gateway removal - Guidance on transitional arrangements (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ebe64dde90e071e2a937fba/Gateway_removal_-_guidance_on_transitional_arrangements.pdf) (PDF, 419 KB, 1 page) details certain aspects of legal aid such as:
- prior authorities (including authorities for counsel and experts in Children Act cases)
- funding for cases outside England and Wales
Paying for your civil legal aid (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e2ec239e5274a6c42dcd11e/Client_Legal_Aid_Leaflet.pdf) (PDF, 510 KB, 6 pages) helps clients with civil legal problems.

Contact details desk aid: civil (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64008426e90e0740dba78ca5/LAA_Contact_Details_Desk_Aid_CIVIL_final.pdf) (PDF, 298 KB, 4 pages)

Early Asylum Billing: A Practical Guide (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6308f5b18fa8f55369e744cd/Early_Billing_A_Practical_Guide.pdf) (PDF, 115 KB, 1 page)

Lord Chancellor’s guidance

Guidance on determining financial eligibility for criminal legal aid under the civil and criminal legal aid (financial resources and contribution orders) (amendment) regulations 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/673dcac25aadb65be090ff07/Guidance_on_determing_financial_eligibilty_for_Criminal_Legal_Aid_under_The_Civil_and_Criminal_Legal_Aid__Financial_Resources_and_Contribution.pdf) (PDF, 335 KB, 14 pages)

Lord Chancellor's guide to determining financial eligibility for controlled work and family mediation (May 2025) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68382214e11dd1e85b0cbb43/LC_s_guidance_on_determining_financial_eligibility__controlled_and_mediation_.pdf) (PDF, 599 KB, 61 pages)

Lord Chancellor's guidance on determining financial eligibility for certificated work (May 2025) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/682db395a599d03a16bff37b/Lord_Chancellor_s_guide_to_determining_financial_eligibility__Certificated_.pdf) (PDF, 1.02 MB, 137 pages)

Lord Chancellor's guidance - exceptional case funding (inquests) (September 2023) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64f1cfb99ee0f2000db7bdaf/Lord_Chancellors_Exceptional_Funding_Guidance__Inquests___September_2023_.pdf) (PDF, 210 KB, 8 pages)

Lord Chancellor's guidance - exceptional case funding (non-inquests) (May 2025) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/682db3f1a599d03a16bff37c/Lord_Chancellor_s_Exceptional_Funding_Guidance__Non-Inquests__ECF.pdf) (PDF, 310 KB, 21 pages)

Notice to the Director of Legal Aid Casework: Lord Chancellor’s guidance on exceptional funding (non inquests) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7da00aed915d3fb9594d99/dlac-notice.pdf) (PDF, 10.3 KB, 1 page)

Post-judgment notice to Director of Legal Aid Casework (DLAC): IS v DLAC and The Lord Chancellor: ECF Guidance (non-inquests) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a8174b6e5274a2e87dbdb9b/notice-director-legal-aid-case-work.pdf) (PDF, 23.1 KB, 1 page)

Evidence requirements for private family law matters guidance v14 (7 July 2025) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686b932da08d3a3ca3b677ce/Evidence_requirements_for_private_family_law_matters_guidance_version_14_7_July_2025.pdf) (PDF, 546 KB, 39 pages)

Costs assessment guidance

The costs assessment guidance has been amended to take account of the UK’s exit from the European Union.

There are 4 versions of the costs assessment guidance: one for use with the 2010 Standard Civil Contracts, one for use with the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Standard Civil Contracts, one for use with the 2018 standard civil contract and the fourth for use with the 2024 Standard Civil Contract.

For use with 2024 contract:

2024 cost assessment guidance (September 2024) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66f13cfa76558d051527abb9/Costs_Assessment_Guidance_2024_SCC_-_Version_1a-_23_September_2024.pdf) (PDF, 997 KB, 104 pages)

For use with the 2018 contract:

Narrative and guidance: legal aid (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/636b7d888fa8f5358665f4cd/Guidance_on_authorities_and_legal_aid_for_cases_in_courts_outside_England_and_Wales_November_2022.pdf) (PDF, 315 KB, 29 pages)

Costs assessment guidance (2018) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60882989d3bf7f013791e8f1/Costs_Assessment_Guidance_2018_-_Version_5-_April_2021___Clean___002_.pdf) (PDF, 1.1 MB, 106 pages)

Costs assessment guidance 2018 - version 10 - December 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66b9ef89ab418ab0555935fa/Costs_Assessment_Guidance_2018_-_Version_10-_December_2023___clean_.pdf) (PDF, 1 MB, 106 pages)

For use with the 2013, 2014 and 2015 contract:

Costs Assessment Guidance 2013, 2014, 2015 - Version 14 (December 2023) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65b778e2c5aacc000da6842c/2_Costs_Assessment_Guidance_2013_2014__2015_-_Version_14_December_2023__Clean_240124.pdf) (PDF, 1.03 MB, 109 pages)

Providing advice to immigration detainees in prison (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/618d1d878fa8f5037b09c4f2/Providing_advice_to_immigration_detainees_in_prison.pdf) (PDF, 142 KB, 6 pages)

Guidance on backdating (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/621e11ac8fa8f5490bcfa26b/Backdating_Guidance_-_Regulation_35_CLA__Procedure__Regulations_2012_-_Feb_2022.pdf) (PDF, 190 KB, 8 pages)

For use with the 2010 contract:

Costs assessment guidance (2010) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/600010398fa8f56402c8c098/Costs_Assessment_Guidance_-_2010_Standard_Contract_-_Version_7_-_clean.pdf) (PDF, 736 KB, 64 pages)

Costs assessment guidance tracked changes (2010) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/600010488fa8f56402c8c099/Costs_Assessment_Guidance_-_2010_Standard_Contract_-_Version_7_-_tracked_changes.pdf) (PDF, 742 KB, 64 pages)

Other guidance

Civil Legal Advice (CLA) - September 2019 changes (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5cff924ced915d097897cccf/Civil_Legal_Advice__CLA____September_2019_changes.pdf) (PDF, 116 KB, 3 pages)

Remote Family Hearings: updated ways of working (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e97896886650c2dd8151c59/LAA-FAS-updatev2.pdf) (PDF, 274 KB, 3 pages)

Lord Chancellor's Guidance (Section 4) (27 June 2025) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685e7cdbf85b4b993fd75356/Lord_Chancellor_guidance_under_section_4_of_LASPO_27_June_2025.pdf) (PDF, 647 KB, 68 pages)

Changes to the 2018 Immigration Specification (October 2020) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f8808518fa8f50422bfd189/201013_2018_SCC_Immigration_Specification_Amendments.pdf) (PDF, 246 KB, 5 pages)

Position of the Legal Aid Agency as to undertaking work with the National Centre for Domestic Violence (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c1a4d2ce5274a466da21724/Position_of_the_Legal_Aid_Agency_as_to_undertaking_work_with_the_National_Centre_for_Domestic_Violence3.pdf) (PDF, 338 KB, 1 page)

Civil finance electronic handbook (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/676545534e2d5e9c0bde9c4b/Civil_Finance_Electronic_Handbook_V4.pdf) (PDF, 1.97 MB, 191 pages)

LAA statutory charge position statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b44d40ce5274a376e24e13e/LAA_statutory_charge_position_statement.pdf) (PDF, 492 KB, 3 pages)

The Statutory Charge Manual (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/668ba4c2899a6f92e5d9ce3e/The_Statutory_Charge_Manual.pdf) (PDF, 940 KB, 101 pages)

Crime

The Crown Court guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crown-court-fee-guidance) covers all aspects of Crown Court legal aid fees under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) and Litigators’ Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS).

Criminal Bills Assessment Manual (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dd2fb9750fcf90fa6ffcae/Criminal_Bills_Assessment_Manual_-_Version_23_-_Oct_25_Final__1_.pdf) (PDF, 1.55 MB, 144 pages)

Case enquiry contact lists

Contact details desk aid: civil (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64008426e90e0740dba78ca5/LAA_Contact_Details_Desk_Aid_CIVIL_final.pdf) (PDF, 298 KB, 4 pages)

Contact details desk aid: criminal (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679cc581c496e5d3ddafb64c/crime-contact-details-desk-aid.pdf) (PDF, 116 KB, 2 pages)

Case enquiry contact lists for advocates

Contact details desk aid: advocates (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d308e9ced915d2ff003b773/Contact_details_desk_aid_advocates.pdf) (PDF, 389 KB, 5 pages)