(Archive) Submission and completion of the account synopsis form

Both summary and ABWOR fixed payments claims should be made using the online accounts re-write system from 1 November 2016.

All of the synopsis questions should be completed and it is important that the information provided is correct as this determines the fee payable.  If any amendments are required from the information that you provided when submitting the original application it is essential that you make contact with our applications department prior to submitting the account as a failure to do so may result in the wrong fee being claimed.

The only accounts we will accept via the e-business accounts system will be supplementary or transfer accounts where the original account was received and paid under this system.

Where there is a transfer of solicitor, the outgoing solicitor cannot submit their account until the case concludes and they are able to confirm the case conclusion details. Failing which, upon receipt of the incoming solicitors account the outgoing solicitor will be sent an online notification advising that their account can now be submitted.

Details on how to complete the synopsis and other training and accounts guidance is available on our website.

The following is the only circumstance in which you can make more than one claim:

• where any of the exceptions to the single payment in a criminal case apply.

The single account reflects the general scheme which provides that you cannot charge advice and assistance in addition to ABWOR, or advice and assistance/ABWOR in addition to criminal legal aid, subject to these exceptions.

As a result, we are entitled, in terms of the fees and information regulations, to disregard any claim for payment of an advice and assistance account until we believe that ABWOR or summary criminal legal aid will not be (or is unlikely to be) needed for the same matter.

We will reject an advice and assistance or ABWOR claim where we know ABWOR or criminal legal aid has been made available for the same matter.

You must submit your legal aid fixed payment account not later than four months after the conclusion of the proceedings for which the fixed payment legal assistance was granted.  This limit also applies to fixed payment ABWOR, not the 12 month limit applicable to advice and assistance accounts.

An account should be accompanied by any claim for fees and outlays under the criminal fees or advice and assistance regulations, where this is not inconsistent with the terms of the fixed payments regulations (see exceptions above).  You should submit these accounts together.