Legal Aid Agency
Summary of processing timescales
Information will be updated on a weekly basis and the current position will be the oldest date as of Friday the previous week.
We continually aim to turnaround applications and bills as soon as possible and strive to deliver performance under our current set targets.
Crime applications
Current targets:
| Applications and Appeals |
|---|
| 90% within 2 working days |
| Work type | Current position (working days) |
|---|---|
| Application for legal aid | 1 days |
| Administrative Interest of Justice Appeals | 1 days |
Very high cost cases and central fund claims - Criminal Cases Unit
Current targets:
| All categories |
|---|
| 95% within 20 working days |
| Work type | Current position (working days) |
|---|---|
| Audits | 13 days |
| LGFS special preparation | 9 days |
| AGFS special preparation | 13 days |
Criminal billing
Current targets:
| Application for prior authority/applications to extend upper financial limit | Claims | LGFS & AGFS redetermination requests |
|---|---|---|
| 90% within 5 working days | 95% within 15 working days | 90% within 30 working days |
| Work type | Oldest date of receipt by LAA of work now being processed | |
|---|---|---|
| CRM4 | Application for prior authority (disbursement) | 2 days |
| CRM5 | Application for prior authority (costs) | 2 days |
| CRM7 ( Paper Submission) | Non-standard magistrates court claim | 12 Days |
| CRM7 ( Online Submission) | Non-standard magistrates court claim | 12 Days |
| CRM7 Appeals | Non-standard magistrates court claim Appeals | 62 Days |
| Contempt of Court | Claim for representation in contempt proceedings | 73 Days |
| ICA Decisions (CRM7) | Non-standard magistrates court claim Appeals sent to an Independent Cost Assessor | 12 Days |
| CRM18 | Police station exceptional claim | 1 days |
| CRM18As | Escape Case Claim Prison Law | 6 Days |
| LF1 (final) | Litigator graduated fee claim | 5 days |
| LF1 (fixed) | Litigator graduated fee claim | 5 days |
| LF1 (interim) | Litigator graduated fee disbursement | 5 days |
| LF2 | Redetermination request | 5 days |
| LGFS EPPE | Electronic Evidence | 5 days |
| AF1 (final) | Advocates fee | 6 days |
| AF1 (fixed) | Advocates fixed fee | 6 days |
| AF2 | Redetermination request | 6 days |
| AGFS EPPE | Electronic Evidence | 6 Days |
Please allow a further 5 9 days for payment to be received
The current position above is from the receipt of the claim to process completion and does not take into consideration the time taken for postage.
Using our online billing system
Crown Court Claims for Defence (CCD) will enable you to eradicate the additional postage delays in processing your claim and allow you to submit redetermination requests instantaneously.
You can also check on the progress of your claim on line at any time.
Updates to this page
Last updated 21 October 2024 +show all updates
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All crime updated
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Edited Application for legal aid wording to remove CRM14/15
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