View source for Legal Aid guidance documents

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==Gov.uk==
*[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funding-and-costs-assessment-for-civil-and-crime-matters#other-guidance Guidance: Legal aid guidance: General information including on costs assessment and remuneration for civil and crime matters]

==Escape cases==
*See [[Escape fee cases]]

==Other guidance==
*{{rsum|Legal Aid Agency, 'Costs Assessment Guidance: for use with the 2018 Standard Civil Contracts' (v6, October 2022)}}
*{{rsum|Legal Aid Agency, 'Civil Finance Electronic Handbook' (v3.4, dated 1/8/23)}}

== Contract documentation==
* See [[Standard Civil Contract 2018]].

==Means testing==
* See [[Means testing]].

==Older, miscellaneous documents==
*{{rsum|Legal Aid Agency, 'Tribunal appointed representatives in mental health (rule 11(7) cases)' (8/6/17)}}

*[[Media:LAA MH Common Errors v1 Feb 2015.pdf|Legal Aid Agency, 'Mental Health Common Errors' (v1, 6/2/15, published April 2015)]]. This document contains the following headings: Claiming Errors; Tackling poor quality; Web links to documents. Details in relation to the following claiming errors are set out in the document: (1) Incorrect coding. (2) Failure to conduct a means assessment for the client in a non-MHT matter, where no advice has been given with regards the Tribunal process, or any advice given was not necessary. (3) Failure to evidence of client’s means in a non-MHT matters where the client is in detention and there is little/no evidence on file that the fee-earner has undertaken reasonable steps to check whether the ward manager, social workers, family members etc. can confirm the client’s financial position. (4) Opening a separate non-MHT matter start and claiming a separate non-MHT fee when it should have been rolled up' into a concurrent MHT fee. (5) Failure to understand matter start rules where the client is the Nearest Relative (NR), particularly with regard to non-MHT and MHT matter start rules. (6) Claiming a MHT fee for standalone non-MHT work such as a Hospital Managers Meeting/Review or S117 meeting. (7) Claiming the MHT Level 3 Fee where an effective MHT has not taken place, or the provider has not carried out any representation. (8) Claiming the MHT Level 2 Fee before an MHT application has been submitted, or where neither 30 minutes work has been done nor negotiations with a third party have been carried out. (9) [I]f the provider makes [an s2] application too late for it to be considered by the tribunal ... only the MHT level 1 fee should be claimed. (10) Failure to open a new NMS in circumstances where an informal patient is detained under Section. (11) Claiming a separate fee in relation to a renewal hearing [in the wrong circumstances]. (12) Claims for Remote Travel Payments. (13) Excessive travel cost claims: the Cost Assessment Guidance indicates a limit of 5 hours unless reasonable justification is evidenced on file. (14) Excessive disbursement claims: includes the claiming of Counsel fees (which should be paid out of the fees claimed except where prior authority has been granted to incur a higher rate) and multiple independent expert reports (where they are not justified by the case). (15) Consideration must be given to whether attendance at HMH, s117 or CPA meetings is necessary and/or appropriate.

*{{link|https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/397501/supplementary-matter-starts-guidance.pdf|Legal Aid Agency, 'Requests for Supplementary Matter Starts: Guidance to Contract Managers' (22/1/15)|s}}

*'''Legal Aid audits.''' Different mental health firms have reportedly been given different information about the current round of audits: (a) that larger firms are selected based on contract size, or (b) that every firm will be audited in the next year or so. The official position is that: (1) the focus is on higher-risk providers, and volume of work will not by itself lead to an audit; (2) "higher risk" is not tightly defined, but is a combination of: (a) does the firm have a history of claiming errors? (b) if so, when these have been brought to the firm's attention, is a fix effectively made? (c) are bills rejected or assessed down higher than the norm? (d) are there significant changes in people at the firm? (3) towards the end of the summer, recent audits will be reviewed to see whether the published guidance has reduced problems (source: John Sirodcar, Head of Contract Management, 8/5/15).

*[[:File:LAA JR emergency funding from April 2013.pdf|Legal Aid Agency, 'Applications for emergency funding in judicial review cases: processes and procedures from 1 April 2013' (March 2013)]]

*[[Media:LSC Guidance on use of Agents.pdf|Legal Services Commission, 'Guidance on the use of agents' (10/10/11)]]. This document sets out the LSC's interpretation of the Standard Civil Contract 2010 that a firm with a high secure hospital contract may do the following, either separately or in combination: (1) use agents to allow firms without HSH contracts to represent HSH patients, or (2) use 30% of their own HSH matter starts at HSHs for which they do not have a contract.

*[[:File:LSC RMManual FinalDraftCopy version8.pdf|LSC, 'RM Assurance Process: Guidance for RM Visits', version 8, 21/10/10]]

*[http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/docs/civil_contracting/MentalHealthAdditionalQ_A17Jan08FinalforWebsite.pdf Mental Health Fee Scheme and Specification: Additional Questions and Answers following Provider Workshop Events, 17/1/08]. Old.

*The Government website has a page entitled [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/legal-aid-points-of-principle-of-general-importance-pop Legal aid: points of principle of general importance (PoP)].

==External links==
*[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funding-and-costs-assessment-for-civil-and-crime-matters Gov.uk: Legal aid guidance]
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