Key messages for legal aid suppliers - November 2021
Date published:
The LSA has issued the key messages for legal aid suppliers for November 2021.
Review of inactive cases in the Legal Aid Management System (LAMS)
As detailed in paragraph 3 of circular LSA 08-2021 and paragraph 4 of the letter to Account Administrators regarding inactive cases, practitioners are reminded that, where the Agency does not receive a reply to correspondence issued in relation to inactivity, once the Legal Aid Certificate has been discharged on a case the Agency will, at the point of closure, proceed to recoup any interim payments made on that case without further recourse to you.
Change to March 2021 key message – financial eligibility passport benefits
In the March 2021 key messages, in paragraph 3.3 (a) the Agency said
A message will be sent to the supplier indicating that the benefit selected is not in payment and we will advise which benefit is currently in payment.
Following a review of this process the Agency will no longer be able to advise which benefit an applicant currently has in payment. As such the wording of the March 2021 key messages has been updated to reflect the revised position.
LAMS supplier manual
As advised in LSA Circular 11/21 the screenshots in the LAMS Supplier Manual have now been updated. If practitioners have downloaded or printed copies of the manual these should now be replaced with the most recent version (V9 – Nov 21).
Practitioner error & fraud pilot – Christmas recess
With Christmas fast approaching and offices closing for the holidays, the Agency has decided to pause the practitioner pilot for three weeks. The Pilot will recommence week beginning 3 January 2022 and run until early February 2022.
What you might have missed
Please note that the LSANI have published the following on the Agency’s website:
- ‘LSA 12-21 – Case Management – Review of Inactive Criminal Cases in LAMS’ – can be located within the ‘2021 circulars’ area;
- ‘LAMS Supplier Manual – V9 November 2021’ – can be located within the ‘LAMS guidance’ area;
- ‘LSANI Internal Fraud Policy – V1 October 2021’ – can be located within the ‘LSANI corporate information’ area;
- ‘LSANI Board Minutes – June 2021’ & ‘LSANI Board Minutes – September 2021’ – can be located within the ‘LSANI board minutes 2021’ area.
Notes to editors:
Please note that printable PDF versions of the key messages are located within the 'Useful information for legal aid suppliers' page under the title 'Key messages'.