Legal Aid Agency
Were making changes in the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) which should improve your experience of the system when making applications.
The improvements mean introducing:
- additional questions in Special Children Act applications
- changes to standard cost limitations in various cases
Special Children Act applications
New questions have been added to the merits assessment stage of the application process.The idea is to prevent premature applications where Special Children Act proceedings have not been issued.
This should help users when linking applications and certificates. These are the new questions:
- Have the Special Children Act proceedings been issued?
- Are you representing any other family members in this case?
- Does your client have any other Special Children Act certificate(s) capable of amendment?
- Have you considered specific Special Children Act guidance and guidance on linking cases?
The following question has been removed from the merits section but only In Special Children Act cases:
- Are the proceedings, for which funding is being sought, currently before the Court?
Standard cost limit changes
Changes have been introduced to standard cost limitations in various cases to help reduce the number of amendment requests providers need to submit.
You will also benefit from:
- being able to work on cases for longer before an increase is needed/required?
- less LAA involvement during the lifetime of the caseThe areas of law affected and the new standard cost limitation are:
| Change | Current default | New default limit |
|---|---|---|
| Actions against the Police certificates: | Full representation - 2250 | Full representation 6,000 |
| Community Care: | Full representation - 2250 | Full representation 3,500 |
| Immigration and Asylum: | Full representation - 2250 | Full representation 4,500 |
| Mental Health: | Full representation - 2250 | Full representation 5,000 |
| Special Children Act: | Approx. 25-30 different proceedings at 5,000 | All proceedings to 9,000 |
This change will affect only the cases listed above (s) and apply to substantive applications only excluding Judicial Review proceeding.
There are no changes to certificates for emergency delegated functions certificates the standard 1,350 will still apply.
All certificates with limitations currently set over those new standard limits will remain at their higher cost limitation.