CLS news

In early July, we will launch our tender to provide additional Legal Help services in certain civil categories of law. All service providers who meet our quality standards, whether they are existing contract holders or not, can apply.

Letter to providers - June 08 (PDF 35.9kb).

The bid round is worth up to £10 million and our priorities will be the delivery of the following additional services:

• Specialist advice in Domestic Violence or Public Law Children
• General family advice where we wish to increase supply
• Family Mediation services (where we will invite expressions of interest) and
• Social Welfare Law (Debt, Housing, Welfare Benefits, Community Care and Employment) in areas where we wish to increase supply.

We'll also invite tenders to provide immigration advice by telephone to individuals detained at police stations and face-to-face immigration advice at Immigration Removal Centres. Organisations that submitted bids in November 2007 will need to submit a fresh tender in accordance with the new information for applicants.

We'll publish the Invitation for Applicants in early July, giving service providers 28 days to reply. 

Successful bidders will be expected to begin delivering services within 12 weeks of being notified that they have been successful.

Please check our website regularly in July for more bid round information.