Guidance

Civil processing dates

Check timescales for LAA to process your work (for example, civil applications and bills).

From:
Legal Aid Agency
Published
1 June 2014
Last updated
20 January 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

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.

(Last updated 20th January 2026)

We are currently operating in accordance with the contingency measures as detailed at www.gov.uk/guidance/legal-aid-agency-cyber-security-incident

The following dates reflect our operational status under these contingency arrangements:

Current targets:

Civil applications Civil amendments Civil bills Very high cost case plans and correspondence (family cases exceeding £25,000 using single counsel*)
85% processed (end-to-end) in 20 working days (excluding the most complex cases) 75% processed (end to end) in 20 working days (excluding the most complex cases) 95% of complete and accurate bills within 20 working days 95% within 20 working days

We continually aim to turnaround applications and bills as soon as possible and strive to deliver performance under our current set targets.

Civil applications

We are currently receiving high levels of intake following restoration of our civil systems. Please only contact the Customer Service Team if your work is outside of the date below or you have a hearing in the next 48 hours.

The oldest date represents the current turnaround time for applications that require a full means and merits assessment. Applications without a means assessment, or those cases where the client receives a passported benefit, will take approximately 6 days less time to process. The oldest date does not take into account applications where the LAA is waiting for a response to a request for further information

Work type Current Processing Date
Applications (inc means assessments) 01 December 2025
Amendments/Authorities 09 December 2025
Appeal 15 December 2025
Discharge 13 December 2025
Means re-assessments 12 January 2026

Civil Applications and Exceptional & Complex Cases are distinct teams with separate workstreams. Each operates under different KPIs and oldest date metrics. Please find below the latest update regarding Exceptional & Complex Cases.

ECCT applications

ECCT Work type Current Processing Date Backlog % Older Than Current Processing Date
ECC emergency applications 23 December 2025 10.0%
ECC Substantive Applications 17 November 2025 24.4%
ECC Amendments 21 November 2025 34.7%
ECC Appeals 06 November 2025 22.5%
ECC Case Plans 06 October 2025 17.0%
ECF Work type Current Processing Date Backlog % Older Than Current Processing Date
ECF New Applications 06 August 2025 13.7%
ECF Amendments 18 September 2025 21.8%
ECF Reviews 22 August 2025 17.6%

Civil bills

Please remember to submit your CCMS Outcome promptly to avoid payment delays as these timescales for CCMS claims reflect those claims that have already had their ‘outcomes’ reported and finalised. Civil news: submitting case ‘outcomes’ and prompt payments

Work type Current Processing Date
Court Assessed 14 December 2025
Fixed fee 14 December 2025
Hourly rate 14 December 2025

FAS and POA claims we are processing within 4 working days and in most cases 2 to 3 working days

Please allow a further 5 – 9 days for payment to be received.

For further performance information please see the Government Performance Platform.

High Cost Family

Work type Current Processing Date
Single Case plan 26 November 2025
Two Case plan 27 November 2025
Correspondence 05 January 2026

(*) Please note case plans which fall into the following categories of law fall into the 2 Counsel workstream; Child Abduction, FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and FMPO (Forced Marriage Protection Order)

For more information on the LAA’s current contingency measures please see here www.gov.uk/guidance/legal-aid-agency-cyber-security-incident

Updates to this page

Published 1 June 2014
Last updated 20 January 2026 + show all updates

  1. Formatting changes

  2. Updated Formatting

  3. Dates and Formatting changed and added information

  4. Dates updated

  5. All dates updated

  6. All Civil updated

  7. All Civil updated

  8. Civil applications updated

  9. Dates updated

  10. Civil applications updated

  11. All dates updated

  12. All dates updated

  13. Civil applications and ECCT updated

  14. All updated

  15. All updated

  16. Civil applications updated

  17. Updated in full

  18. ECCT Applications updated

  19. Civil applications updated

  20. Civil applications updated

  21. Civil applications updated

  22. Civil applications updated

  23. Civil applications updated

  24. Civil applications updated

  25. Civil applications updated

  26. Civil applications updated

  27. Added TBC for all current dates

  28. contingency arrangements added

  29. Civil applications Updated

  30. Civil applications updated

  31. Civil applications updated

  32. Civil applications updated

  33. Civil applications updated

  34. Civil applications updated

  35. Civil applications Updated

  36. Civil applications updated

  37. Civil applications updated

  38. Civil applications updated

  39. Civil applications updated

  40. Civil applications updated

  41. Civil applications updated

  42. Civil applications Updated

  43. Civil applications Updated

  44. Civil applications updated

  45. Civil applications uodated

  46. Civil applications updated

  47. Civil applications updated

  48. Civil applications updated

  49. Civil applications updated

  50. Civil applications updated

  51. Civil applications updated

  52. Civil applications Updated

  53. Civil applications updated

  54. Civil applications updated

  55. Civil applications updated

  56. Civil applications updated

  57. Civil applications updated

  58. Civil applications updated

  59. Civil applications updated

  60. Civil applications updated

  61. Civil applications updated

  62. Civil applications updated

  63. Civil applications updated

  64. Civil applications updated

  65. Civil applications updated

  66. Civil applications updated

  67. Civil applications updated

  68. Civil applications updated

  69. Civil applications updated

  70. Civil applications updated

  71. Civil applications updated

  72. Civil applications updated

  73. Civil applications updated

  74. Civil applications updated

  75. Civil applications updated

  76. All Updated

  77. Civil applications Updated

  78. Civil applications updated

  79. Civil applications updated

  80. Civil applications updated

  81. Civil applications updated

  82. Civil applications updated

  83. High Cost Family wording updated

  84. High Cost Family updated

  85. High Cost Family and Civil applications updated

  86. Updated single counsel wording

  87. High Cost Family Updated

  88. Civil applications updd

  89. All Civil updated

  90. Civil applications Updated

  91. Civil applications updated

  92. Civil applications updated

  93. All updated

  94. Civil applications updated

  95. Civil applications

  96. All Dates Updated

  97. All dates updated

  98. Civil applications updated

  99. Civil applications updated

  100. Civil applications Updated

  101. All Dates Updated

  102. Civil applications updated

  103. Civil applications updated

  104. Civil applications Updated

  105. Civil applications Updated

  106. Civil applications updated

  107. Civil applications Updated

  108. All dates updated

  109. Civil applications updated

  110. Updated civil applications

  111. Updated civil applications

  112. Updated civil applications

  113. Updated Civil applications

  114. Civil applications Updated

  115. Civil applications Updated

  116. Civil applications Updated

  117. All dates updated

  118. ECCT dates updated

  119. All Dates updated

  120. Civil applications Updated

  121. Dates Updated

  122. All dates Updated

  123. All dates updated

  124. Civil applications updated

  125. ECCT Applications Updated

  126. All Dates updated

  127. Amendments/Authorities Corrected

  128. All dates updated

  129. Civil applications updated

  130. All dates updated

  131. All Dates updated

  132. Civil applications Updated

  133. All Dates Updated

  134. All Dates updated

  135. All dates updated

  136. All Dates Updated

  137. Civil applications Updated

  138. All dates updated

  139. Updated Civil bills

  140. All Dates updated

  141. All Dates updated

  142. All Dates updated

  143. Civil applications dates updated

  144. Civil applications Dates updated

  145. Dates updated and updated ECCT processing figures for covering July 2023

  146. Dates Updated

  147. Dates Updated

  148. Dates Updated

  149. Dates Updated

  150. Dates Updated

  151. Dates Updated

  152. Dates Updated

  153. Dates Updated

  154. Dates Updated

  155. Dates Updated

  156. Dates Updated

  157. Dates and ECCT Applications updated

  158. Dates Updated

  159. Dates Updated

  160. Dates Updated

  161. Dates Updated

  162. Dates Updated

  163. ECCT monthly target and average days updated for March

  164. Dates updated

  165. Dates Updated

  166. Dates Updated

  167. Dates Updated

  168. Dates Updated

  169. Dates Updated

  170. Dates Updated

  171. Dates Updated

  172. Dates Updated

  173. Dates Updated

  174. Dates Updated

  175. Dates Updated

  176. Dates Updated

  177. Dates updated

  178. Dates Updated

  179. Dates Updated

  180. Dates Updated

  181. Dates Updated

  182. Dates Updated

  183. Dates Updated

  184. Dates Updated

  185. Dates Updated

  186. Dates Updated

  187. Current targets now include amendments.

  188. Dates Updated

  189. Dates Updated

  190. Dates Updated

  191. Dates Updated

  192. Dates Updated

  193. ECCT Updated

  194. Dates Updated

  195. Dates Updated

  196. Dates Updated

  197. Dates Updated

  198. Dates Updated

  199. Dates Updated

  200. Dates Updated

  201. Dates updated

  202. Dates Updated

  203. Dates Updated

  204. Dates Updated

  205. Update to processing dates wording

  206. Dates Updated

  207. Dates Updated

  208. Dates Updated

  209. Dates Updated

  210. Dates Updated

  211. Dates Updated

  212. Dates Updated

  213. Dates Updated

  214. Dates Updated

  215. Dates Updated

  216. Dates Updated

  217. Dates Updated

  218. Dates Updated

  219. Dates Updated

  220. Dates Updated

  221. Dates Updated

  222. Dates Updated

  223. Dates Updated

  224. Dates Updated

  225. Dates updated

  226. Dates Updated

  227. Dates Updated

  228. Dates Updated

  229. Dates Updated

  230. Dates Updated

  231. Dates Updated

  232. Dates Updated

  233. Dates Updated

  234. Dates Updated

  235. Dates Updated

  236. Dates Updated

  237. Dates Updated

  238. Dates Updated

  239. Dates Updated

  240. Dates Updated

  241. Dates Updated

  242. Dates Updated

  243. Dates Updated

  244. Dates Updated

  245. Dates Updated

  246. Dates Updated

  247. Dates Updated

  248. Daes Updated

  249. Dates Updated

  250. Dates Updated

  251. Dates Updated.

  252. Dates Updated

  253. Dates updated.

  254. Dates Updated

  255. Dates Updated

  256. Dates Updated

  257. Dates Changed

  258. Dates Updated

  259. Dates Updated

  260. Dates Updated

  261. Dates Updated

  262. Dates Updated

  263. Dates Updated

  264. Dates Updated

  265. Dates Updated

  266. Dates Updated

  267. Dates Updated

  268. Dates Updated

  269. Dates Updated

  270. Dates Updated

  271. Dates Updated

  272. Dates Updated

  273. Dates Updated

  274. Dates Updated

  275. Dates Updated

  276. Dates Updated

  277. Dates Updated

  278. Dates Updated

  279. Dates Updated

  280. Dates Updated

  281. Dates Updated

  282. Dates Updated

  283. Dates Updated

  284. Dates Updated

  285. Dates Updated

  286. Dates Updated

  287. Dates Updated

  288. Dates Updated

  289. Dates Updated

  290. Dates Updated

  291. Dates Updated

  292. Dates Updated

  293. Dates Updated

  294. Dates Updated

  295. Dates Updated

  296. Dates Updated

  297. Dates Updated

  298. Dates Updated

  299. Dates Updated

  300. Dates Updated

  301. Dates Updated

  302. Dates and ECCT wording updated

  303. Dates Updated

  304. Dates Updated

  305. Dates Updated

  306. Dates Updated

  307. Dates Updated

  308. Dates Updated

  309. Dates Updated

  310. Dates Updated

  311. Dates updated

  312. Dates Updated

  313. Dates Updated

  314. Dates Updated

  315. Dates Updated

  316. Dates Updated

  317. Dates Updated

  318. Dates Updated

  319. Dates updated

  320. Dates Updated

  321. Dates Updated

  322. Dates Updated

  323. Dates updated

  324. Dates Updated

  325. Dates Updated

  326. Dates Updates

  327. Dates Updated

  328. Dates Updated

  329. Dates Updated

  330. Dated Updated

  331. Dates Updated

  332. Dates updated

  333. Dates Updated

  334. ECCT dates updated

  335. ECCT dates updated

  336. Dates updated

  337. Dates updated.

  338. Dates updated.

  339. Dates updated

  340. Updated ECCT wording

  341. Added new ECCT stats

  342. Dates Updated

  343. Dates Updated

  344. Removed ECCT stats

  345. ECCT stats added

  346. ECCT stats added

  347. ECCT Stats now added

  348. Dates Updated

  349. Dates Updated

  350. Dates Updated

  351. Dates Updated

  352. Dates Updated

  353. Dates Updated

  354. Dates Updated

  355. Changed High Cost Family title

  356. Dates Updated

  357. Dates Updated

  358. Dates updated

  359. Dates updated

  360. Dates Updated

  361. Dates Updated

  362. Dates updated.

  363. Dates Updated

  364. Sates updated

  365. Dates Updated

  366. Dates updated.

  367. Dates updated

  368. Dates updated.

  369. Dates updated

  370. Dates Updated

  371. Dates updated

  372. Dates Updated

  373. Dates updated

  374. Dates Updated

  375. Dates Updated

  376. Dates Updated

  377. Dates updated

  378. Dates updated

  379. Dates Updated

  380. Dates updated

  381. Dates updated

  382. Dates updated

  383. Dates Updated

  384. Dates updated

  385. Dates Updated

  386. Dates updated

  387. Dates updated

  388. Dates Updated

  389. Dates updated

  390. Dates updated.

  391. Dates Updated

  392. Dates updated

  393. Dates updated

  394. Dates updated.

  395. Dates updated

  396. Dates updated

  397. Dates updated.

  398. Dates updated

  399. Dates Updated

  400. Dates Updated

  401. Dates Updated

  402. Dates updated

  403. Dates Updated

  404. Dates updated

  405. Dates updated

  406. Dates updated.

  407. Dates updated

  408. Dates updated

  409. Dates updated

  410. Dates updated.

  411. Dates Updated

  412. Dates Updated

  413. Dates changed

  414. Dates Updated

  415. Updated dates

  416. Dates Updated

  417. Title changed

  418. Dates Updated

  419. Dates Updated

  420. Dates updated

  421. Dates Updated

  422. Dates updated

  423. Dates updated

  424. Dates updated

  425. Civil application dates updated.

  426. Updated Civil application dates.

  427. Civil application dates updated.

  428. Civil application dates updated.

  429. Dates updated

  430. Civil application dates updated.

  431. Civil application dates updated.

  432. Civil application dates updated.

  433. Civil application dates updated.

  434. Civil application dates updated.

  435. Civil application dates updated.

  436. Dates Updated

  437. Civil application dates updated.

  438. Civil application dates updated.

  439. Civil application dates updated.

  440. Civil applications dates updated.

  441. Civil application dates updated.

  442. Dates updated

  443. Civil application dates updated.

  444. Civil application dates updated.

  445. Civil application dates updated.

  446. Civil application dates updated.

  447. Civil applications dates updated.

  448. Civil application dates updated.

  449. Civil application dates updated.

  450. Civil application dates updated.

  451. Civil application dates updated.

  452. Civil application dates updated.

  453. Civil applications dates updated.

  454. Civil application dates updated.

  455. Civil applications dates updated.

  456. Civil applications dates updated.

  457. Civil application dates updated.

  458. Civil application dates updated.

  459. Civil applications dates updated.

  460. Civil applications dates updated.

  461. Civil applications dates updated.

  462. Civil applications dates updated.

  463. Civil applications dates updated.

  464. Civil applications dates updated.

  465. Civil applications dates updated.

  466. Civil applications dates updated.

  467. Civil applications dates updated.

  468. Civil applications dates updated.

  469. Dates updated.

  470. Dates updated.

  471. Civil Applications dates updated.

  472. Civil applications dates updated.

  473. Civil applications dates updated.

  474. Civil applications dates updated.

  475. Civil applications dates updated.

  476. Civil applications dates updated.

  477. Civil applications dates updated.

  478. All dates updated

  479. Civil applications dates updated.

  480. All dates updated

  481. Civil applications dates updated.

  482. Civil Applications dates updated.

  483. All dates updated

  484. Civil dates updated 12/02/2020

  485. Civil application dates updated.

  486. Civil applications dates updated.

  487. Dates updated

  488. Civil applications dates updated.

  489. Civil applications date updated.

  490. Dates updated

  491. Civil applications dates updated.

  492. Civil applications dates updated.

  493. Civil applications dates updated.

  494. Civil applications dates updated.

  495. Dates changed

  496. Civil applications dates updated.

  497. Dates Updated

  498. Civil applications dates updated.

  499. All dates updated.

  500. Civil applications dates updated.

  501. Civil applications dates updated.

  502. Civil applications dates updated.

  503. Civil applications dates updated.

  504. All dates updated.

  505. Civil applications dates updated.

  506. All dates updated.

  507. Civil applications dates updated.

  508. Civil applications dates updated.

  509. All dates updated.

  510. Civil applications dates updated.

  511. Civil applications dates updated.

  512. All dates updated.

  513. Civil applications dates updated.

  514. Civil applications dates updated.

  515. Civil applications dates updated.

  516. Civil applications dates updated.

  517. All dates updated.

  518. Civil application dates updated.

  519. Civil applications dates updated.

  520. Dates updated.

  521. Civil applications dates updated.

  522. All dates updated.

  523. All dates updated.

  524. Civil applications dates updated.

  525. Civil applications dates updated.

  526. All dates updated.

  527. Civil applications dates updated.

  528. Civil application dates updated.

  529. Civil application dates updated.

  530. Dates updated.

  531. Dates updated.

  532. Dates updated.

  533. Dates updated.

  534. Dates updated

  535. Dates updated

  536. Dates updated

  537. Dates updated

  538. Dates updated

  539. Dates updated

  540. Dates updated

  541. Dates updated.

  542. Dates updated.

  543. Dates updated

  544. Dates updated

  545. Dates updated

  546. Dates updated

  547. Dates updated

  548. Dates Changed

  549. Dates updated

  550. Dates updated

  551. Dates updated

  552. Dates updated

  553. Dates updated

  554. Dates updated

  555. Dates updated

  556. Dates updated

  557. Dates updated

  558. Dates changed

  559. Dates changed

  560. Dates Updated

  561. Dates updated

  562. Dates updated

  563. Dates updated

  564. Dates updated

  565. Dated changed

  566. Dates updated

  567. Dates changed

  568. Dates changed

  569. Dates changed

  570. Dates changed.

  571. Dates updated.

  572. Dates updated.

  573. Dates updated.

  574. Dates updated.

  575. Dates updated

  576. Dates updated

  577. Dates updated

  578. Dates updated.

  579. Dates updated.

  580. Dates updated.

  581. Updated working days.

  582. Dates updated.

  583. Dates updated.

  584. Dates updated.

  585. Dates updated.

  586. Dates updated.

  587. Dates updated.

  588. Dates updated.

  589. Dates updated.

  590. Dates updated.

  591. Dates updated.

  592. Dates updated.

  593. Dates updated.

  594. Dates updated.

  595. Dates updated.

  596. Dates updated.

  597. Dates updated.

  598. Dates updated.

  599. Dates updated.

  600. Dates updated.

  601. Dates updated.

  602. Dates updated.

  603. Dates updated.

  604. Dates updated.

  605. Dates updated.

  606. Latest processing dates published.

  607. Latest processing times published.

  608. Processing times updated.

  609. Dates updated.

  610. Dates updated.

  611. Dates updated.

  612. Dates updated.

  613. Dates updated.

  614. Dates updated.

  615. Dates updated.

  616. Civil processing dates updated.

  617. Dates updated.

  618. Dates updated.

  619. Dates updated.

  620. Civil processing dates updated.

  621. Dates updated.

  622. Dates updated.

  623. Dates updated.

  624. Civil processing dates updated.

  625. Dates updated.

  626. Dates updated.

  627. Dates updated.

  628. Dates updated.

  629. Dates updated.

  630. Dates updated.

  631. Dates updated.

  632. Date format updated.

  633. Dates updated.

  634. Updated

  635. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page

Contents