Civil legal aid online

We’re improving how we grant and pay for legal aid by introducing online working with our civil providers. By 2013 we will be more efficient and have tighter financial controls when administrating legal aid.

What is civil legal aid online?

It's a new client and cost management system for civil certificated work that will allow us to work electronically with our providers. The online system will:

grant legal aid, pay bills and recover debt electronically
store electronic copies of paper evidence and link up to each case
give clients new ways to pay
improve control and financial reporting

It will also help reduce bureaucracy for providers through online working:

forms will be completed online
lost paperwork and client information will be reduced
cases will be tracked online

Outside the scope

The new system won't remove the need to:

provide evidence of eligibility
comply with regulations and requirements

Decisions will still be based on the information provided

When will this be live?

Rollout will begin in 2012 at the earliest. Internally the pilot will involve our South Tyneside office, we haven't yet made a decision on who to involve externally.

It will be a phased rollout probably over a year so we can fully support all our providers. Our engagement and roll out plan will be published later this year.

Find out more

Email Sinead Reynolds or Keely Riordan

Last updated: 15 March 2012