Apply for Criminal Legal Aid updates
98 per cent of applications can now be made through the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service.
In June 2024, over 10,000 applications were received through the new service.
Additional functionality released
The latest updates in the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service enable providers to submit applications for clients with partners and employed clients.
What these updates mean
Providers will now be able to make applications for single clients and clients with partners who are either:
- getting a passporting benefit, including where the benefit cannot be verified with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and evidence of the benefit is not available
- not working
Providers will also be able to make applications for single clients who are employed and clients with partners who are employed.
What the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service can be used for
As well as the new update, providers can:
- submit all applications apart from Change in Financial Circumstance, non means and self-employed through the service
- complete the application and add the National Insurance number later (in some circumstances providers still might not be able to submit an application without it)
- add post-submission evidence for applications that were made in the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service
When submitting an application through Apply, it is advised that providers retain a copy of the MAAT number, offences covered and the date of grant. This information can all be found on the rep order. Retaining this information will ensure that you have all of the required information, until functionality to see the status of an application in crime apply is released.
eForms should continue to be used for:
- clients who are self-employed, in a business partnership or are a director or shareholder in a private company
- clients with partners where the partner is self-employed, in a business partnership or are a director or shareholder in a private company
- applications that are non-means tested
- changes in financial circumstances
- post-submission evidence for applications made in eForms
Benefits of using the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service
- The service has been built following user friendly design principles resulting in a simpler process that makes it easier to submit legal aid.
- Search function for offences displays the offence and class of offence details to reduce manual entry
- The service streamlines application submission and reduces manual data entry. The service uses the answers provided to determine what information or evidence is requested during the application process, which means only aquestions relevant to the type of application being submitted are asked. For example, Interest of Justice justification does not need to be entered on every application.
Interest of Justice Slipstreaming
For applicants who are under 18 and for certain offences for adult applicants, the LAA will not require additional justification to be submitted on the application for the Interests of Justice test when applying via the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service.
This is a significant change from the current process, where providers are asked to clarify why the Interests of Justice are met on every application made.
To use this feature, select the offence from the drop-down list in order for this benefit to work. If an application is covered under these new rules, the LAA will not ask providers to detail the Interests of Justice information whilst making the application.
The offences that do not require Interests of Justice justification are subject to change based on further data analysis and/or assurance checks, therefore we will not be able to provide a list of offences that benefit from this change.
When the Interests of Justice questions are asked, the relevant information should be provided to allow the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) caseworkers to make a decision. If not asked for this information, it does not need to be included within the application online. However, the reasons why the test is met should be documented on the file regardless of whether this is requested on the application. This change only affects the entry of the information onto our service.
Priority features to be implemented
Once all application types can be submitted in the service, the priority features to implement will include:
- Showing the outcome of the application in the service
- Status of applications
- Searching for applications
- Enabling deletion of returned applications
Contact us
The LAA will be reaching out in the coming months to find out about experiences of using the new service.
Please use the feedback links in the service.
For technical issues, please email: apply-for-criminal-legal-aid@justice.gov.uk
Further information
Please email: LAAapplyonboarding@justice.gov.uk