This consultation was launched by the LAA on 2 June 2020 and followed intervention by LAPG and other bodies requesting more flexibility over the POA system and other forms of interim or staged payment mechanisms to alleviate cash flow concerns for legal aid providers.

The LAA has proposed an amendment to the Costs Assessment Guidance to allow providers to claim up to four times a year, as opposed to the current two.  Whilst we do welcome this change, we really do not think that it goes far enough.  We have been asking for greater flexibility to enable providers to claim up to 100% of their costs, as opposed to the 75% allowable currently.

We have also been asking for a system of interim payments to be introduced in respect of controlled work.  The LAA has said that they will be looking next at these requests, and we have urged the LAA to do that as quickly as possible as many providers have a great deal of work in progress locked up in long running controlled work cases.

You can read our response here (PDF, 3 pages, 0.3MB)