Submit a contracted work and administration (CWA) claim online
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-06)

How CWA works online: how to claim, bulkloading, outcomes, new matter starts and guidance.

How to claim

All claims for controlled work must be submitted via CWA.

CWA is a digital billing service that contains all providers’ contracts and schedules. It’s used to make claiming simpler and more efficient, eg allows and validates monthly submissions online and calculates fees.

To access CWA, log in to LAA online (https://portal.legalservices.gov.uk/LAAPortal/pages/home.jsp).

How CWA works

All contracted provider offices are set up in CWA on the LAA portal with at least 1 person registered to use the service. That user can go on to create other users.

To create a new user, see ‘add and edit users’ in the CWA quick guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cwa-quick-guides).

Bulkloading

If you want to bulkload your outcomes, remember to add the schedule and account numbers to your file.

If you don’t want to bulkload your data, the submission list will display your current submission period where you can update it and go to step 1 of the submission process.

Using the bulkload spreadsheet and compatibility

If your case management system isn’t compatible with CWA, you can still bulkload your submission data using the [ and Bulkload spreadsheet guide (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a82c76aed915d74e623796e/bulkload-spreadsheet-guidance.pdf) (PDF, 814 KB, 27 pages).

You can find answers to most questions in the CWA quick guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cwa-quick-guides).

In light of the changes to LAA online and the Provider bulkload spreadsheet (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/677bc6906f01ae28ab5c03ec/Provider_Bulkload_Spreadsheet.xls) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 9.99 MB), the Civil amendment request form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c926441e5274a29a357008d/Civil_CWA_Amendment_Request_Form.xls) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 174 KB) has been updated to reflect the new fields in CWA. Can all providers please start to use the new spreadsheets with immediate effect, old copies of the spreadsheet will be accepted until 1st April 2019 after this date any old versions received will be returned to the provider.

Contact

If you can’t find what you need, contact the Customer Services Team:

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

Phone: xx-xxxx-xxxx

Applying Home Office number for immigration claims

As part of your contractual agreement, you must use the Home Office Reference Number correctly when you submit immigration claims.

Where you’ve used a generic* Home Office Reference Number, an error warning message will appear.

This message will give the following warning:

‘Warning: In completing the Home Office Reference Number field, the default code A0000000 should only be used on an exceptional basis. The reference number allocated by the Home Office must be noted on the Client’s file and used in all claims and correspondence with the LAA relating to that Client. Claims that do not use the Client’s HO reference number may be rejected until the correct number is supplied’.

If you’ve used the generic Home Office reference number correctly, you must acknowledge the error message by clicking the ‘Save’ button again within the claim.

If you’ve used the generic Home Office reference incorrectly by mistake, you must amend it to the correct reference (as supplied by the Home Office). You should then acknowledge the error message by saving the claim after the amendment.

The changes apply to line by line entry and submission via bulkload.

When bulkloading, the message will be displayed at the point at which you bulkload your submission.

If you complete the submission bulkload, any claims with the generic Home Office reference number will be flagged as a problem. You must access these errors and acknowledge the error warning by saving the claim again. If you’ve made a mistake, amending it to the correct Home Office reference number (then save the claim).

You must check that you’ve used the generic Home Office Reference Number correctly in all cases, ie, only where the actual HO reference number has NOT yet been issued by the point of billing.

*Note: generic refers to the use of the default code A0000000 instead of an HO issued reference number

When to submit your claim

You should make your submission between the 1st and 20th of the month following the submission period. For example, your March submission containing work completed up to and including 31 March should be made between 1 and 20 April. Try to make sure your submission is at the beginning of the month as this allows maximum time to offer support and resolve any questions.

Where to send your claim

Log in to CWA through LAA online (https://portal.legalservices.gov.uk/LAAPortal/pages/home.jsp) with the role of activity reporter manager.

Click on the activity management tab.

Calculating value of an outcome

Under outcome pricing details, you’ll find a breakdown of the outcome costs and its value. This is in the activity management section.

You’ll also see the fee scheme used to calculate the value.

This screen is available pre and post submission in the activity management area of CWA.

Civil outcomes

If a fixed fee applies, the value is the sum of:
- fixed fee(s), excluding VAT
- +VAT on fixed fee(s)
- +disbursements, excluding VAT
- +disbursements VAT amount
If a fixed fee does not apply, the value is the sum of:
- all profit costs, excluding VAT
- +VAT on profit costs
- +counsel costs, excluding VAT
- +VAT on counsel costs
- +disbursements, excluding VAT
- +disbursements VAT amount
Crime outcomes

If a fixed fee applies, the value is the sum of:
- the fixed fee, excluding VAT
- +VAT on the fixed fee
- +disbursements, excluding VAT
- +disbursements, VAT amount
New matter starts for legal help

‘New matter starts’ is the LAA contracting term used for legal help, eg, the first meeting a provider has with a client.

How to report new matter starts depends on what method of submission you’re using.

LAA’s bulkload spreadsheet

Enter new matter starts into the controlled matter start form (CMSF) area of the spreadsheet.

CMS file

Contact your software supplier to find out if your CMS bulkload file contains your new matter starts.

Line-by-line entry

Manually enter new matter starts at step 3 of the submission process.

Remember, you’re updating the live system so only 1 person can do this at a time.

Which matter type to use for civil outcomes

The civil codes guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-matter-report-forms-civil-codes) includes help on selecting matter types when reporting completed civil work.

Amendments to submitted claims

Make changes to any of your previously submitted CWA claims using 1 of 3 amendment forms and guidance:
- Crime amendment request form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7d4ed240f0b60a7f1a9b88/legal-aid-cwa-crime-amendment-request-form__1_.xls) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 111 KB)
- Civil amendment request form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c926441e5274a29a357008d/Civil_CWA_Amendment_Request_Form.xls) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 174 KB)
- Mediation amendment request form (CWA) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a8081d340f0b62302693e97/mediation-cwa-amendment-request-form.xls) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 129 KB)
- Claim amendment guidance (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65e83c9cce8540001112c452/legal-aid-claim-amendment-guidance.docx) (MS Word Document, 51.6 KB)
- Provider bulkload spreadsheet (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/677bc6906f01ae28ab5c03ec/Provider_Bulkload_Spreadsheet.xls) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 9.99 MB)
- Mediation amendment request form (CIS) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7514ebe5274a3cb2869818/mediation-cis-civil-amendment-form.xlsx) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 53.7 KB)
Email amends to: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

When completing the spreadsheet remember to:
- include the net revised cost, not gross
- check the compatibility of cost and code combinations within revised claims
- put your name and account number in the subject header
Further information

CWA quick guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cwa-quick-guides) and detailed user guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cwa-detailed-user-guides).