Legal Aid Agency
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Proposal to remove standard monthly payments from future contracts
We are seeking your views on the advantages of moving all providers on to a single system of monthly payments. This would mean removing the option of standard monthly payments (SMP) from future legal aid contracts. All providers would instead be moved to variable monthly payments (VMP).
We are inviting representative bodies and all providers to take part in an engagement exercise, which includes a questionnaire.
The engagement exercise will close on 30 June 2023.
We will publish a response to the engagement exercise in August 2023.
Read our .
Read for further information and how to provide feedback.
Management information online service
Using the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) MI online service, you can access, download and print financial statements from your own office or from the whole firm.
This service is only available if youre signed up to use to LAA online.
PSOA dates 2024
The PSOA gives you a summary document of all account transactions.
PSOA delivery date | Period covered-|-
| 8 January | December 2023 |
| 5 February | January 2024 |
| 4 March | February 2024 |
| 8 April | March 2024 |
| 3 May | April 2024 |
| 5 June | May 2024 |
| 8 July | June 2024 |
| 5 August | July 2024 |
| 4 September | August 2024 |
| 4 October | September 2024 |
| 4 November | October 2024 |
| 5 December | November 2024 |
| 6 January | December 2024 |
BACS payments
Once your bill is ready for payment, it might take up to 8 working days for the money to reach your account if youre paid by BACS.
Help us process claims more quickly by waiting 8 days before contacting our customer services team about payments.
Youll normally receive remittance advice on the payment date, unless there are problems with the postal system.
We make contract payments in the first week of the month (payment 1).
Note: the payment date stated on remittance advice slips will appear as 3 working days before you receive funds, due to additional processing time.
Monthly payment dates 2023 - 2024
| Monthly payment 1 | Monthly payment 2 | Monthly payment 3 | Monthly payment 4 | Monthly payment 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Dec | 11 Dec | 18 Dec | 22 Dec | n/a |
| 02 Jan | 08 Jan | 15 Jan | 22 Jan | 29 Jan |
| 05 Feb | 12 Feb | 19 Feb | 26 Feb | n/a |
| 04 Mar | 11 Mar | 18 Mar | 25 Mar | n/a |
| 02 Apr | 08 Apr | 15 Apr | 22 Apr | 29 Apr |
| 07 May | 13 May | 20 May | 28 May | n/a |
| 03 Jun | 10 Jun | 17 Jun | 24 Jun | n/a |
| 01 Jul | 08 Jul | 15 Jul | 22 Jul | 29 Jul |
| 05 Aug | 12 Aug | 19 Aug | 27 Aug | n/a |
| 02 Sep | 09 Sep | 16 Sep | 23 Sep | 30 Sep |
| 07 Oct | 14 Oct | 21 Oct | 28 Oct | n/a |
| 04 Nov | 11 Nov | 18 Nov | 25 Nov | n/a |
| 02 Dec | 09 Dec | 16 Dec | 22Dec | |
| 02Jan |
Variable monthly payments guidance
You can choose variable monthly payments if you provide civil (legal help) and crime (lower) work.