On the 2nd December 2013 the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 will come into force and implement further cuts to fees in Civil Legal Aid. The changes are as follows:
Expert fees
The fees payable to experts in all civil and family cases (at all levels of service) will be reduced by 20%. There are some exceptions:
In clinical negligence (cerebral palsy) cases there are new higher codified rates for neurologists, neuroradiologists and neonatologists.
The rates for surveyors in housing repair cases are to remain the same.
The rates for interpreters located in London are to remain the same; however those located outside of London will have their rate cut by 12.5%.
Counsel Fees
In civil non family work counsel will be remunerated at the same hourly rates as solicitors in courts up to and including the High Court and the Upper Tribunal. Counsel will also be able to claim enhancements subject to the same caps applied to Solicitors. These changes do not apply for Queen's Counsel.
Immigration & Asylum Uplift
Uplifted hourly rates have been payable for immigration & asylum cases in the Upper Tribunal. This will no longer apply from 2nd December 2013 and therefore all immigration & asylum cases will be paid at the same rate (the rate currently used for those cases not in the Upper Tribunal, as set out in Table 8(c) of the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013).
Implementation
The above changes apply for applications for funding in new cases from 2nd December 2013 onwards. The current rates will apply in the following circumstances:
Controlled work - applications signed and dated before 2nd December 2013
Licensed Work - applications signed and dated before 2nd December 2013 and received by the LAA by 5pm on 9th December 2013.
Emergency Applications - devolved powers granted before 2nd December 2013 and LAA has been notified within 5 working days.
Online CCMS - successful applications submitted before 2nd December 2013 (i.e by midnight on 1st December 2013)
The regulations can be found at the following link:
Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
Find your nearest office
Login
