What is ‘Manage your users’? (Back to top)
‘Manage your users’ is a new service that replaces the old User accounts admin section in Contracted Work Administration (CWA).
It is where authorised people, such as Firm system admins, can:
- assign services and roles to users in their firm
- amend or remove roles from users in their firm
- change office assignments for users in their firm
How to access ‘Manage your users’ (Back to top)
To access ‘Manage your users’, go to Sign in to legal aid services and sign in to your account.
On the homepage you will see a list of the services you have access to. If you have the necessary permissions, you will see ‘Manage your users’ and can select this as an option.
What if ‘Manage your users’ is not listed on the services
homepage? (Back to top)
If ‘Manage your users’ is not listed on the services homepage, you should refresh the browser window and sign in again. If you still do not see ‘Manage your users’ listed, contact the LAA Online Support team.
Who can use ‘Manage your users’ and what can they do? (Back to top)
Only authorised people with external user manager permissions can use ‘Manage your users’.
An authorised person can:
- assign services and roles to users in their firm
- amend or remove roles from users in their firm
- change office assignments for users in their firm
How to set up a user’s access (Back to top)
Begin by finding the user whose access you want to set up. On the ‘Manage your users’ dashboard:
- users that need their access set up will have the status of ‘Incomplete’ in the status column
- users that already have their access set up will have the status of ‘Complete’ in the status column
To set up a user’s access, you can either select a user that has a status of ‘Incomplete’, or you can search for a specific user using the search box.
To set up access follow the steps below.
- Select the user’s name to access the user details screen.
- Select ‘Manage access’ on the user details screen and continue.
- Select all the services the user will need access to and continue.
- Select the roles this user will need for each service and continue.
- Select which of the firm’s offices they are attached to (if applicable).
- Check your answers and confirm.
You will see a confirmation page showing which services, roles, and offices you have set up for this user.
You will need to notify the user that their access has been set up.
How to amend or remove services, roles or offices from a user (Back to top)
To amend or remove a user’s access to services, roles, or offices, you can either select a user from the list on the ‘Manage your users’ dashboard, or you can search for a specific user using the search box.
To amend or remove access follow the steps below.
- Select the user’s name to access the user details screen.
- Select ‘Manage access’ on the user details screen and continue.
- Deselect any services you wish to remove access to and continue.
- Deselect the roles you wish to remove for each service and continue.
- Deselect any of the firm’s offices you wish to remove access to.
- Check your answers and confirm.
You will see a confirmation page showing which services and roles, and offices you have amended for this user.
Which services are available at launch? (Back to top)
The following services are included at launch. Others will be added over time.
- Submit a crime form
- Apply for criminal legal aid
- CCMS (Client and cost management system)
- Apply for Civil legal aid
Which service roles can be assigned to a user? (Back to top)
The table below shows the roles that can be assigned for different services. You will not be able to add Admin roles to another user.
Note : Not all of these roles will be visible during restoration rollout.
More detailed guides for Providers, Advocates and Chambers/Counsel can be found here: User roles and responsibilities – Legal Aid Learning
| Service | Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| CCMS (Client and cost management system) | ||
| CCMS Provider roles | CCMS Firm Administrator | Create user accounts and manage user access |
| CCMS Office Manager | View all cases, notifications, and actions for the firm, including Bacs remittances and account statements | |
| CCMS Cross Office Access | View all cases, notifications, and actions assigned to other users within the firm | |
| CCMS Case Management | Create draft applications for review | |
| CCMS Case Management Supervisor | Review and submit applications | |
| CCMS Bill Preparation | Create draft bills and payments on account for review | |
| CCMS Bill Supervisor | Review and submit bills and payments on account | |
| CCMS Chambers roles | CCMS Chambers Administrator | Create user accounts and manage user access, and view Bacs remittances and account statements |
| CCMS Counsel Bill Preparation | Create draft bills and payments on account for review | |
| CCMS Counsel Bill Submission | Review and submit bills and payments on account | |
| CCMS Advocate roles | CCMS Advocate Administrator | Create user accounts and manage user access, and view Bacs remittances and account statements |
| CCMS Advocate Bill Preparation | Create draft bills and payments on account for review | |
| CCMS Advocate Bill Submission | Review and submit bills and payments on account | |
| Apply for criminal legal aid | ||
| Crime Apply Access | Will be automatically assigned, as there is only one role for this application | |
| Submit a crime form | ||
| Crime Form Submit Access | Will be automatically assigned, as there is only one role for this application | |
| Apply for civil legal aid | ||
| Civil Apply App User | Will be automatically assigned, as there is only one role for this application | |
Can multiple roles be assigned to a user? (Back to top)
Yes. More than one role can be applied by selecting multiple checkboxes on the screens that ask which roles the user needs.
For more information, see the FAQs for Setting up and managing user access.
Can I assign roles to myself? (Back to top)
You can assign service roles to yourself, but to assign an admin role you will need to contact LAA Online Support.
For more information, see the FAQs for Setting up and managing user access.
Can office restrictions be applied to the user? (Back to top)
Yes. Office restrictions can be applied by selecting the appropriate checkboxes in the offices screen for the selected user.
For more information, see the FAQs for Setting up and managing user access.
Is user activity logged? (Back to top)
Yes, all actions (including assignments, removals, logins) are logged and can be audited for compliance purposes.
How is data secured? (Back to top)
The ‘Manage your users’ service utilises end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure data security.
How often is multi-factor authentication (MFA) needed to access ‘Manage your users?’ (Back to top)
MFA is required every time a user accesses Sign in to legal aid services. Once signed in, users can go in and out of the ‘Manage your users’ service as often as they need to, without having to go through MFA again.
Users will be timed out after 12 hours, if they move location, or if they close your browser.
What if I cannot access Sign in to legal aid services? (Back to top)
Refer to the FAQs for registration service.
I cannot assign access to a user. What should I do? (Back to top)
Make sure the user’s email is valid and not already in use. If the issue continues, contact the LAA Online Support team.
A user service role has been removed by mistake. Can access be reassigned? (Back to top)
Yes. Access can be reassigned by selecting the checkbox on the role assignment page of ‘Manage your users’.
For more information, see the FAQs for Setting up and managing user access.
Can a user be deactivated or deleted? (Back to top)
It is currently not possible to completely remove or deactivate a user. This functionality will be enabled in a future release of ‘Manage your users’. In the meantime, a user can be prevented from accessing any applications or services by having their permissions removed on the role assignment page of ‘Manage your users.’
For more information, refer to the FAQs for Setting up and managing user access.
Users not found in ‘Manage your users’ (Back to top)
If some users are not found in ‘Manager your users’, you should refresh your browser window and sign in again. If the users are still not listed, contact the LAA Online Support team.
Roles cannot be assigned to or removed from a user (Back to top)
If roles cannot be assigned to or removed from a user, you should refresh your browser window and sign in again. If roles still cannot be assigned or removed, contact the LAA Online Support team.
Service role has been applied but the user still has no access (Back to top)
If a service role has been applied but the user still has no access, you should refresh your browser window and sign in again. If the role has still not been assigned, contact the LAA Online Support team.
Why can I see account numbers in my SiLAS list for offices that no longer hold a live contract (Back to top)
Currently our data is pulling through all office information for a provider into SiLAS Active and Inactive instead of just the live accounts. This is in the process of being rectified, please disregard these account details in the interim. Post rectification you will only see data for live offices.
What is a third-party user? (Back to top)
A third-party user is someone who works on behalf of a provider — for example, a Cost Drafter or Barrister.
The provider delegates access to them so they can carry out their work within the relevant service.
Why can’t I see a provider in my list? (Back to top)
The provider admin for that firm has not yet delegated access to you.
Contact the provider admin of that firm and ask them to give you access. You may recognise your provider admin as a single point of contact that your firm has with the LAA.
I’ve stopped working for a provider, but I still see them in my list. What should I do? (Back to top)
Contact the provider admin for that firm and ask them to remove your access.
I need to update the primary email address for my multi-firm user account. What should I do? (Back to top)
Contact your provider admin and ask them to update your details.
If you’re unsure who to contact, get in touch with the LAA Online Support team for further support.
When I switch firms, I can’t access the services I used before. Why? (Back to top)
Each provider sets its own access permissions based on the work you do for them.
Contact the provider admin for the firm you’ve switched to and ask them to review or update your permissions.
Why can’t I complete the delegate access process for a user? (Back to top)
To delegate access successfully, the user must already be registered in SiLAS as a multi-firm user.
Check that the user was included in the organogram that you submitted and contact your Contract Manager to confirm that the user has been created and set up correctly or to make any changes.
I don’t know the user’s email address. Why can’t I search for them? (Back to top)
Delegate access allows you to give a user access to your organisation’s data, so it’s important to know exactly who you’re inviting.
To reduce errors and protect data security, SiLAS doesn’t provide an open user search.
You must know the user’s email address before you can delegate access.
What’s the difference between ‘delegate access’ and ‘manage access’? (Back to top)
- Delegate access – use this to invite a third party (for example, a Cost Drafter) to access your organisation’s data. You can set their permissions during the delegate access process.
- Manage access – use this to update or change permissions for users who already have access to your organisation.
I can’t see a user in the ‘Manage your users’ list. Why? (Back to top)
If the user is a third party, you’ll need to delegate access to them first before they’ll appear in your ‘Manage your users’ view.
Does revoking access delete the user? (Back to top)
No. Revoking access only removes the user’s access to your organisation.
Their account remains active in SiLAS, and they will still have access to any other firms they work with.
I accidentally revoked a user’s access. What should I do? (Back to top)
The user’s account still exists, so you can simply use the delegate access process again to reinstate their access and set the right permissions.
I want to change the information or data a user can access. Should I use revoke access? (Back to top)
No. Revoke access completely removes a user from your organisation. If you only want to change what data they can see or what permissions they have, use the manage access feature instead.
If I see an error screen (Back to top)
Contact the LAA Online Support team quoting the code on the error screen
How to contact the LAA Online Support team (Back to top)
Contact the team by:
- telephone 0300 200 2020 (option 3)
- email online-support@justice.gov.uk
If you are emailing the team, include as much information as possible, not limited to the following:
- username and account number
- any case references, if the issue is specific
- a screenshot of any error message you are receiving
- which system you are trying to use
For CCMS billing questions, submit a case enquiry through CCMS.