Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): Legal Aid Agency contingency response' (18/3/20)
LAA coronavirus guidance This LAA web page is the main source of Legal Aid guidance, and contains links to various sub-pages.
See also
Some information which was originally in this LAA web page was moved to separate pages, including:
- LAA remote working guidance. Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): remote working' (14/4/20) — This web page, which is a sub-page of Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): Legal Aid Agency contingency response' (18/3/20), includes information on the MHT level 3 fee: "Most Mental Health Tribunal (MHT) hearings will now be heard remotely. We can confirm the MHT Level 3 Fee will be payable where representation is carried out at a remote hearing intended to dispose of a case and would have ordinarily taken place in person."
- LAA coronavirus guidance. Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): working with clients' (14/4/20) — This web page, which is a sub-page of Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): Legal Aid Agency contingency response' (18/3/20), includes information relating to making Legal Aid applications, assessing financial eligibility where a client cannot attend, using digital signatures, client finances and contributions, approach to emergency certificates, and operation of the statutory charge. (1) In relation to assessing eligibility it states: "Where a client is staying at home, it may still be possible to collect evidence by email or post. Reasonable efforts to collect evidence should still be made and recorded, before assessing without evidence if that is not possible." (2) The advice covers digital signatures and the circumstances in which a client signature is not necessary.
- LAA contract guidance. Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): contract management and assurance' (14/4/20) — This web page, which is a sub-page of Legal Aid Agency, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): Legal Aid Agency contingency response' (18/3/20), contains information about working with contract management, reducing administrative activity for providers, office and supervisory arrangements, and quality mark accreditation. Under the heading "Designated Accredited Representatives in Mental Health cases" it states: "We understand the current situation may mean you are unable to meet the requirements of the contract regarding designated accreditation representatives, including where an individual is not able to meet the 14-hour requirement. You should document the reasons why, but we will not take any action in this situation. It will remain a requirement all advocates before the tribunal except self-employed counsel must be members of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme."
External links
- Archive.org capture. I've saved the 18/3/20 version of the Gov.uk page on archive.org.
- Archive.org. The 24/3/20 version.
- Archive.org. 27/3/20 version.