Legal Aid forms

All the legal aid forms can be obtained from the Legal Services Commission's website; they change fairly regularly so check there for updates. A guide to civil application forms is available on the LSC website. [Some external links, and form names, on this page need to be updated.]

Updates

• New Legal Aid forms must be used from 1/4/13: see Civil forms preview on MOJ website
• 29/09/12: The following Legal Aid forms relevant to mental health law are being updated from 1/10/12: CLSAPP1 (application for Legal Aid certificate), CLSMEANS1 (financial assessment form), MEANS1P (supplementary means assessment form for completion by prisoners), CLSMEANS2 (financial assessment form). All forms signed and dated on or after 1/10/12 must be new versions. Old forms signed before that date will be accepted until 30/10/12. New means assessment forms may be used immediately. See LSC, 'Masterpack Forms Change Guide October 2012' (28/9/12)

Forms

Controlled work forms

The main ones are:

• "Controlled Work 1 & 2 Mental Health"

• "Controlled Work Counsel - Mental Health" (an application for Prior Authority to incur enhanced rates for counsel)

• "EC Claim 1: Exceptional Cases"

Certificate work forms

These are required for judicial reviews and some other matters. The non-family application forms are:

• "CLS APP 1 Application for CLS Funding Certificate: Legal Representation"

• "CLS APP 6 Emergency application via fax"

• "CLS APP 8 Application for amendment or prior authority in civil cases"

• "CLS APP 11 Application for discharge"

Means forms

These are required in conjunction with the certificate application forms. The main ones are:

• "CLS MEANS 2: Means assessment form for people who receive Income Support" - for clients on IS, income-based JSA, income-based Employment and Support Allowance or Guarantee Credit.

• "CLS MEANS 1: Financial assessment form" - for clients who can't fill in MEANS2. There are some associated forms (e.g. CLS MEANS 1A, 1B, 1C, L17) which may be relevant, depending on employment circumstances.

Where work is processed

LSC publish an interactive guide to which LSC offices process which types of work, which is regularly updated.

See also

• Legal Aid
• Legal Aid News