A first look at Apply for civil legal aid service
Apply is a modern processing service for legal aid applications. The service is designed to provide a cost effective, transparent, and simple service for all legal aid applicants using modern and innovative technology solutions which are accessible and driven by users’ needs.
This guide gives a brief insight into what the service looks like. The guide also shows the current functionality within Apply for civil legal aid, showing the simple and efficient way that applications can be submitted.
When Apply for civil legal aid can be used
You can use the Apply for civil legal aid service for Special Children Act proceedings, Private Law Family, Domestic Abuse and Section 8 proceedings.
You cannot use the Apply for civil legal aid service in the following circumstances:
- For an emergency application, unless delegated functions are used
- The client is self-employed
A look at the screens
The start of the application
This shows the opening screen for the Apply for civil legal aid service. This is the standard declaration that you already abide by:
Client Details
You can enter your client and basic case details as shown in the screens below:
When you start typing the relevant proceeding, available options will show as a list:
Additional proceedings can be added:
Delegated functions information can be input:
Cost limits can be amended.
The means assessment
The means assessment section allows you to input all the client’s financial details.
Eligibility
You are informed of your client’s eligibility as shown below.
If a contribution is due from your client, you can see how that has been calculated by clicking to show the calculation.
The merits assessment
The merits assessment section allows you to input all the case details
Submitting the application
Once all the information has been input, you can prepare to submit the application with the standard client and provider declarations.
Although there are several points during the application to review the information being submitted, at the end of the process, you can review everything prior to printing and submitting the application:
Once you have completed your application via Apply, you can make any further amendments to the certificate via the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS). You obtain the CCMS reference on the completed screen as shown below:
