Easter and May Day opening hours and solicitor payment arrangements
26 March 2021
View information about the payment dates over the Easter and May Day public holidays 2021 and opening hours.
Criminal
New streamlined policy on criminal Interests of Justice test is live
23 March 2021
Updated guidance now available for new simplified approach to the assessment of the IoJ test for summary criminal legal assistance and ABWOR
Legal Aid Online
Updated: Legal Aid Online is back online
22 March 2021
We have reverted to previous online system until issues resolved by third party supplier
All solicitor updates
The Legal Aid and Advice and Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, to increase fees by 5%
18 March 2021
Regulations to increase solicitor and advocate fees for legal aid and advice and assistance by 5% come into force on 22 March 2021
Criminal
New streamlined policy on criminal Interests of Justice test to go live
18 March 2021
A simplified approach to the assessment of the IoJ test for summary criminal legal assistance and ABWOR will go live on Monday 22 March 2021
Civil
Review leads to improved and accessible letters for civil applicants and opponents
18 March 2021
The phased introduction of letters with improved accessibility features will start being sent to applicants and opponents from 22 March.
Criminal
New regulations extend automatic eligibility and improved payment arrangements for police station work to terrorism matters
17 February 2021
See summary of the regulation changes to apply the CJSA arrangements to the 2019 Act and other terrorism matters.
All solicitor updates
Scottish Government launches legal aid resilience fund
10 February 2021
Applications are now invited for Scottish Government's coronavirus (COVID-19) resilience fund for legal aid firms and law centres, worth up to £9 million.
All solicitor updates
Regulations amended to add Windrush Compensation and Scottish Child Payments to assessment disregard list
5 February 2021
Regulations amended to add payments to the list which can be disregarded from the assessment of an applicant's disposable income or capital
Civil
Applicant access to digital Form 2 being piloted
14 January 2021
Information on our pilot stage as we create a secure, digital Form 2 for applicants to use for Civil Financial Assessment.
