Increase in matter start allocation

On this page:

Increase in new clients reported
Meeting this demand
Delivery must be face-to-face
How do I request an increase?
Who can apply?
Contract managers

Increase in new clients reported

Current economic circumstances are likely to have a direct effect on families, particularly those with housing, debt and employment problems.
Providers have reported an increase in numbers of new clients seeking advice in debt, housing, employment and family law.
Our focus is on helping those most in need in the coming months.

Meeting this demand

We will consider increasing the new matter start allocation of providers who hold a Unified Contract (Civil) in debt, housing, employment and family law thus:

Allowing more people to get access to good quality legal advice when they need to
Supporting our commitment to maximising access to services and helping an increasing number of people.

Delivery must be face-to-face

Matter starts allocated through this process must be delivered from your existing permanent office. This is your organisation's permanent premises where the majority of your services are accessed, on a face-to-face basis, by the client and not through an outreach location.

How do I request an increase?

Please contact your Regional Contracts Manager if you:

Currently hold a Unified Contract (Civil)
Are permitted to deliver services in the debt, family, employment or housing categories of law
Are finding that your current allocation of matter starts is insufficient to meet client need.

You must request an increase by 31 Mar 09. Increases will be authorised in accordance with the terms of the Unified Contract (Civil) and will be based on your current usage.

Who can apply?

This notice is primarily concerned with debt, housing, employment and family services. However any provider with a Unified Contract (Civil) may apply under the terms of the contract to vary their allocated matter starts at any time. Where a provider wishes to increase their number of matters starts in an existing category of law (as set out in their current Office Schedule(s)), they should contact their Relationship Manager to discuss.

Contract managers (as at 06 Jan 09)

Contract Manager	Areas
Deborah Challis: Southtyneside@legalservices.gov.uk	Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire
Aileen Lane: London@legalservices.gov.uk	Greater London
Julie Parkin: Leeds@legalservices.gov.uk	Humberside, South Yorkshire & West Yorkshire
Brian Farmer: Birmingham@legalservices.gov.uk	Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands & Worcestershire
Steve Templeman: Nottingham@legalservices.gov.uk	Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire & Rutland
Steve Templeman: Cambridge@legalservices.gov.uk	Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk & Suffolk
Karen Stevens: Brighton@legalservices.gov.uk	Kent, East Sussex, Brighton & Hove, West Sussex, Surrey
Linda Shand: Reading@legalservices.gov.uk	Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire
Bryan Swanson: Bristol@legalservices.gov.uk	Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset, Avon, Bath & North East Somerset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Wiltshire
Nicola Johanson: Cardiff@legalservices.gov.uk	Wales
Alison Gibbon: Liverpool@legalservices.gov.uk	Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside
Carolyn Schofield: Manchester@legalservices.gov.uk	Greater Manchester, Halton & Warrington, Cheshire

>back to top

Last updated: 08 January 2009