The costs assessment guidance has been amended to take account of the UK’s exit from the European Union.
There are 4 versions of the costs assessment guidance: one for use with the 2010 Standard Civil Contracts, one for use with the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Standard Civil Contracts, one for use with the 2018 standard civil contract and the fourth for use with the 2024 Standard Civil Contract.
The Crown Court guidance covers all aspects of Crown Court legal aid fees under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) and Litigators’ Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS).
Update to:
Lord Chancellor's Guidance (Section 4) (27 June 2025)
8 July 2024
Updated version of Statutory Charge Manual.
4 September 2023
Published updated Lord Chancellor's guidance on determining financial eligibility for certificated work, exceptional funding (inquests), and exceptional funding (non-inquests).
Published Lord Chancellor's guidance on determining financial eligibility for controlled work and family mediation.
1 September 2023
Updated civil finance handbook v3.4
30 March 2023
Crime contact details desk aid updated to reflect a change to the name and email addresses for one of our teams – Criminal Finance is now Magistrates Billing.
23 September 2022
Update after change in monarch.
1 September 2022
Introdcution to early billing for Asylum matters
13 June 2022
Updated version of Statutory Charge Manual
3 March 2022
Civil Finance Electronic Handbook updated to version 3.2.1.
29 October 2021
Introduction of advice for Immigration and Asylum detainees in prison in response to successful challenge
7 June 2021
Substitute the Criminal Bills Assessment Guidance with a newer version
27 April 2021
The following documents have been updated: Cost Assessment Guidance 2018, Cost Assessment Guidance 2018 (tracked changes), Cost Assessment Guidance 2013, and Cost Assessment Guidance 2013 (tracked changes).
28 January 2021
The following documents have been updated: Cost Assessment Guidance 2018, Cost Assessment Guidance 2018 (tracked changes), Cost Assessment Guidance 2013, and Cost Assessment Guidance 2013 (tracked changes).
15 January 2021
Narrative and guidance: legal aid updated following EU Exit.
14 January 2021
Costs assessment guidance has been amended to take account of the UK’s exit from the European Union.
30 December 2020
change EU rights to retained EU rights on Laspo Doc
23 December 2020
Published new version of the Civil Finance Electronic Handbook. These changes are part of our preparations for exiting the European Union once the transition period ends on 31 December 2020.
23 December 2020
A new version of the Lord Chancellor's guidance (under section 4 of LASPO) has been published. These changes are part of our preparations for exiting the European Union once the transition period ends on 31 December 2020.
14 October 2020
Version 9 of the Criminal Bills Assessment Manual published.
13 October 2020
Guidance on the changes to the 2018 Immigration specification published.
17 August 2020
New version of Civil Finance electronic handbook uploaded.
13 August 2020
New version of the Civil Finance Electronic Handbook uploaded.
4 August 2020
Changes have been made to the Cost Assessment Guidance documents to support the further amendments to the LAA's payment on accounts procedures.
15 May 2020
Updated Evidence Requirements for Private Family Law Matters guidance published.
15 May 2020
Updated version of 'Lord Chancellor's Guidance' uploaded and 'Gateway Removal Guidance' uploaded.
15 April 2020
An update of the the 'Remote Family Hearings: updated ways of working' document has been published.
9 April 2020
We have made minor amendments to version 8 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) 2012 - Evidence Requirements for Private Family Law Matters) 2012 (8th Jan 2018) in order to relax the evidence requirements needed to be submitted by victims of DV and CA in order for those individuals to still be able to submit evidence alongside their application for legal aid.
25 March 2020
Remote Family Hearings: updated ways of working guidance added under "Other guidance".
An updated version of the Criminal Bills Assessment Manual published.
6 December 2019
Updated crime contact details desk aid.
22 July 2019
Updated version of the Criminal Bills Assessment Manual published.
11 July 2019
Updated contact desk aid for advocates.
11 June 2019
Publication of guidance update 'Civil Legal Advice (CLA) - September 2019 changes'
3 June 2019
Updated Civil Finance handbook uploaded.
9 April 2019
Updated Civil Contact Desk Aid.
29 March 2019
Update of Civil finance handbook.
6 February 2019
Paying for your civil legal aid leaflet updated
19 December 2018
Publication of the Position of the Legal Aid Agency as to undertaking work with the National Centre for Domestic Violence.
3 September 2018
Update to the The electronic handbook
3 September 2018
Update to guidance
3 September 2018
Update to costs assessment guidance
3 September 2018
Update to Cost Assessment Guidance
11 July 2018
LAA statutory charge position statement
11 June 2018
'Criminal Bills Assessment Manual' updated with June 2018 Prison Law Amendments.
16 April 2018
Electronic handbook updated.
21 February 2018
Update to Criminal Bills Assessment Manual
8 January 2018
Evidence requirements for private family law matters guidance and Lord Chancellor's guidance (under section 4 of LASPO) updated.
21 December 2017
Contact details updated: 'Paying for your civil legal aid' and 'The statutory charge manual'.
7 August 2017
The Criminal Bills Assessment Manual updated to reflect the 2017 Standard Crime Contract changes and adds clarity to other areas, in particular the April 2017 changes to Police bail.
27 February 2017
Contact details desk aid: criminal updated.
15 December 2016
Advocates contact details desk aid added to page.
16 November 2016
Civil and criminal contact details desk aids published.
2 August 2016
Narrative and guidance: legal aid document updated.
22 July 2016
'Lord Chancellor's guidance (under section 4 of LASPO)' updated.
21 April 2016
Updated evidence requirements for private family law matters guidance published.
1 February 2016
Criminal bills assessment manual updated.
2 December 2015
Costs assessment guidance 2013 updated.
17 July 2015
Evidence requirements for private family law document updated.
15 July 2015
Post-judgment notice to Director of Legal Aid Casework (LAC): IS v Director of LAC and Lord Chancellor: ECF Guidance (non-inquests) added
9 June 2015
Updated Lord Chancellor funding guidance (non-inquests) published 9 June 2015
13 May 2015
Costs assessment guidance for 2010, 2013 and 2014 Standard Civil Contracts updated.
5 February 2015
A guide to claiming electronic evidence as pages of prosecution evidence published.