This quick guide will take you through the action a provider is required to take on a case where an application is at the ‘Under Offer’ status.
An application will appear as ‘Under Offer’ in contributory applications and any means reassessments to non-contributory cases that result in them becoming contributory.
The client should discuss the offer with their instructing solicitor and make the decision to accept of decline the offer.
The offer letter will be sent to the provider as a notification, the client will receive their letter through the post.
In the Actions and Notifications section the offer letter will appear as a ‘Letter for your Attention’.
Click the link in the Subject column to access the notification.
Information about the notification will be displayed. Click View to read the letter.
The offer letter will open and can either be printed or saved for your records.
A copy of the client response form will also be included within the letter.
The client should sign the letter and indicate whether they wish to accept or decline the offer and attach the cover sheet included to the front of the letter. The client will then send the signed letter to the Document Scanning Centre, the address of which can be found on the letter itself.
If the client wishes to pay their contributions via cheque, this needs to be sent to the Cash Office and must be sent before the certificate can be generated.
NOTE: The client can use direct debit for all payments except the first contribution payment. The direct debit form is included in the offer letter.
The acceptance form should be sent to the Document Scanning Centre, but the cheque should be sent to the Cash Office:
7th Floor – 7.37 Cash Office
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
DX 161440 Westminster 8
Once you have viewed the offer notification, you should provide a notification response in order to close the notification in CCMS.
Return to the notification detail screen as shown above. Select a response from the drop down list and click Submit.
NOTE: In circumstances where delegated functions have been used, the initial offer must be accepted and paid as the client has had emergency funding. If having received the offer of funding from the LAA the client does not wish to continue with funding the certificate can be discharged once the initial offer amount is paid.
If the initial offer is not paid the client may have their emergency certificate revoked, at which point they will become liable for all costs claimed by the solicitor handling the case.