Legal Aid Agency
How to claim
All claims for controlled work must be submitted via CWA.
CWA is a digital billing service that contains all providers contracts and schedules. Its used to make claiming simpler and more efficient, eg allows and validates monthly submissions online and calculates fees.
To access CWA, log in to LAA online.
How CWA works
All contracted provider offices are set up in CWA on the LAA portal with at least 1 person registered to use the service. That user can go on to create other users.
To create a new user, see add and edit users in the CWA quick guides.
Bulkloading
If you want to bulkload your outcomes, remember to add the schedule and account numbers to your file.
If you dont want to bulkload your data, the submission list will display your current submission period where you can update it and go to step 1 of the submission process.
Using the bulkload spreadsheet and compatibility
If your case management system isnt compatible with CWA, you can still bulkload your submission data using the and .
You can find answers to most questions in the CWA quick guides.
In light of the changes to LAA online and the , the has been updated to reflect the new fields in CWA. Can all providers please start to use the new spreadsheets with immediate effect, old copies of the spreadsheet will be accepted until 1st April 2019 after this date any old versions received will be returned to the provider.
Contact
If you cant find what you need, contact the Customer Services Team:
Email: online-support@justice.gov.uk
Phone: 0300 200 2020
Applying Home Office number for immigration claims
As part of your contractual agreement, you must use the Home Office Reference Number correctly when you submit immigration claims.
Where youve used a generic* Home Office Reference Number, an error warning message will appear.
This message will give the following warning:
Warning: In completing the Home Office Reference Number field, the default code A0000000 should only be used on an exceptional basis. The reference number allocated by the Home Office must be noted on the Clients file and used in all claims and correspondence with the LAA relating to that Client. Claims that do not use the Clients HO reference number may be rejected until the correct number is supplied.
If youve used the generic Home Office reference number correctly, you must acknowledge the error message by clicking the Save button again within the claim.
If youve used the generic Home Office reference incorrectly by mistake, you must amend it to the correct reference (as supplied by the Home Office). You should then acknowledge the error message by saving the claim after the amendment.
The changes apply to line by line entry and submission via bulkload.
When bulkloading, the message will be displayed at the point at which you bulkload your submission.
If you complete the submission bulkload, any claims with the generic Home Office reference number will be flagged as a problem. You must access these errors and acknowledge the error warning by saving the claim again. If youve made a mistake, amending it to the correct Home Office reference number (then save the claim).
You must check that youve used the generic Home Office Reference Number correctly in all cases, ie, only where the actual HO reference number has NOT yet been issued by the point of billing.
*Note: generic refers to the use of the default code A0000000 instead of an HO issued reference number
When to submit your claim
You should make your submission between the 1st and 20th of the month following the submission period. For example, your March submission containing work completed up to and including 31 March should be made between 1 and 20 April. Try to make sure your submission is at the beginning of the month as this allows maximum time to offer support and resolve any questions.
Where to send your claim
Log in to CWA through LAA online with the role of activity reporter manager.
Click on the activity management tab.
Calculating value of an outcome
Under outcome pricing details, youll find a breakdown of the outcome costs and its value. This is in the activity management section.
Youll also see the fee scheme used to calculate the value.
This screen is available pre and post submission in the activity management area of CWA.
Civil outcomes
If a fixed fee applies, the value is the sum of:
- fixed fee(s), excluding VAT
- +VAT on fixed fee(s)
- +disbursements, excluding VAT
- +disbursements VAT amount
If a fixed fee does not apply, the value is the sum of:
- all profit costs, excluding VAT
- +VAT on profit costs
- +counsel costs, excluding VAT
- +VAT on counsel costs
- +disbursements, excluding VAT
- +disbursements VAT amount
Crime outcomes
If a fixed fee applies, the value is the sum of:
- the fixed fee, excluding VAT
- +VAT on the fixed fee
- +disbursements, excluding VAT
- +disbursements, VAT amount
New matter starts for legal help
New matter starts is the LAA contracting term used for legal help, eg, the first meeting a provider has with a client.
How to report new matter starts depends on what method of submission youre using.
LAAs bulkload spreadsheet
Enter new matter starts into the controlled matter start form (CMSF) area of the spreadsheet.
CMS file
Contact your software supplier to find out if your CMS bulkload file contains your new matter starts.
Line-by-line entry
Manually enter new matter starts at step 3 of the submission process.
Remember, youre updating the live system so only 1 person can do this at a time.
Which matter type to use for civil outcomes
The civil codes guidance includes help on selecting matter types when reporting completed civil work.
Amendments to submitted claims
Make changes to any of your previously submitted CWA claims using 1 of 3 amendment forms and guidance: