Guidance

Standard crime contract 2025

Contract documents for providers of criminal legal aid services, 2025

From:
Legal Aid Agency
Published
17 September 2024

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Standard terms - crime contract 2025 - draft version 1.0

PDF, 698 KB, 79 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s1 introduction to contract work

PDF, 203 KB, 14 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s2 service standards

PDF, 160 KB, 9 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s3 qualifying criteria

PDF, 86.1 KB, 3 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s4 carrying out contract work

PDF, 127 KB, 9 pages

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Specification – crime Contract 2025 – s5 remuneration for contract work

PDF, 121 KB, 7 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s6 duty solicitor provisions

PDF, 145 KB, 9 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s7 very high cost cases (VHCCs)

PDF, 65.2 KB, 1 page

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s8 claims, costs, assessments and reviews

PDF, 98 KB, 7 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s9 criminal investigations

PDF, 283 KB, 28 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s10 criminal proceedings

PDF, 245 KB, 24 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s11 appeals and reviews

PDF, 135 KB, 9 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s12 prison law

PDF, 193 KB, 14 pages

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Specification – crime contract 2025 – s13 associated civil work

PDF, 97.5 KB, 4 pages

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Sample contract schedule – crime contract 2025

PDF, 57 KB, 2 pages

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Sample contract for signature – crime contract 2025

PDF, 104 KB, 5 pages

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Details

The 2025 standard crime contract governs the provision of criminal legal aid services and consists of 16 documents:

  • Standard terms

  • Specification (sections 1 - 13)

  • Sample schedule

  • Sample contract for signature

These documents will be effective from Tuesday, 1 October 2025. On contract launch, all the chapters in the specification will be consolidated into one document.

Standard terms

The standard terms govern the commercial relationship between the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and legal aid providers.

Specification

The specification sets out the rules for carrying out publicly funded criminal defence work in England and Wales. The rates for this work can be found in legal aid legislation.

Sample schedule

This sets out provisions specific to individual providers. This is a sample schedule for illustration only as schedules vary between providers.

Sample contract for signature

The contract for signature gives effect to the 2025 standard crime contract as a whole. This is a sample contract for signature for illustration only as they vary between providers.

Further documents

Updates to this page

Published 17 September 2024

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