The below tips have been created by the legal Aid Agency to assist in getting your means interview right first time.
- There is a free narrative box within the means interview for additional information to be included for example to explain negative disposable income.
- When your application is rejected for figures to be amended in the means interview please ensure that you amend the figures to those advised in the rejection reason and then resubmit.
- Remember most benefits are paid 4 weekly and not by calendar month – select the correct 4 weekly option from the drop down. Selecting the wrong option will lead to rejection and amendment of figures.
- When submitting documents please upload by type for example bank statements as 1 upload and then rent statement as another, rather than all together.
- Remember to select “doc sent” after uploading, only once this has been selected will the documents actually be sent over to the LAA.
- Ensure the correct person in your organisation is set up as the contact user on the application so that they receive the appropriate actions and notifications.
- When entering disregarded benefits, please ensure these are entered in the disregard benefits section of the interview.
- Do not round figures up or down when entering into the means assessment. The application will have to be rejected for the figures to be amended causing additional work and delay to the client.
- When entering a client’s wages please ensure that the figures are entered correctly and at the right payment frequency.
- Where a client receives Universal Credit this should be entered under the option of guaranteed state pension credit, this can be found in the drop down list in the benefits section.
- When submitting a means review on a certificate, ensure you select the means review option and not the legal appeal option in the request type drop down box on the CCMS home page.
- When representing a prisoner ensure you include their prison number in the clients address section, otherwise they will not receive any mail. When instructed by a prisoner the form Means1P should be sent to the client for completion and this along with prisoner bank statements can then be uploaded