2013 Standard Civil Contract
From 1 April 2013, the 2013 Standard Civil Contract governs the provision of face-to-face legal aid services in the Family, Immigration and Asylum, Housing and Debt.
Other Categories of Law are either not affected by the LASPO Act to the extent that new contracts are required, in which case they will continue to be provided under the 2010 Standard Civil Contract (as amended), or will no longer be within the scope of legal aid provision after 1 April 2013.
This page contains information on the terms of the 2013 Standard Civil Contract. For information on our approach to procuring the 2013 Standard Civil Contracts, and supporting documentation, please see our Tenders pages.
Contract documents
Final 2013 Standard Civil Contract
Final versions of the 2013 Standard Civil Contract and Category Definitions 2013 have been published below.
Minor amendments have been made to these documents that were originally published with the invitation to tender (ITT) for civil legal aid services.
Please note that no changes have been made to the final draft Housing and Debt Specification published at the ITT stage.
The 2013 Standard Civil Contract comprises four documents:
- Standard Terms
- Specification
- Schedule
- Contract for Signature
Standard Terms
The Standard Terms 2013 govern the underlying commercial relationship between the LAA and legal aid providers. They are substantively based on the 2010 Standard Terms, with some amendments to implement the requirements of the LASPO Act. These amendments are outlined in the Summary of Changes 2013 document below.
Standard Terms 2013 (tracked changes)
Specification
The Specification sets out the rules governing the provision of civil Contract Work. The procedures and rates for carrying out such work can be found in Legal Aid Legislation and are referred to in this Specification. The Specification itself is divided into provisions of general application (Sections 1 to 6) and category specific rules relating to the different Categories of Law, including Family (Section 7), Immigration and Asylum (Section 8), and Housing and Debt (section 10).
The Summary of Changes documents below, relating to each part of the Specification, contain detailed information on the amendments made to the 2010 Specification to reflect the provisions of the LASPO Act.
For the avoidance of doubt, Category Specific Rules relating to Mental Health (Section 9) and some Categories of Law covered by the miscellaneous section of the 2010 Standard Civil Contract Specification are not included in the 2013 Specification. These categories are largely unaffected by the LASPO Act changes and will continue to be provided under the 2010 Standard Civil Contract.
2013 Standard Civil Contract Specification (Sections 1 to 6 General Rules)
2013 Standard Civil Contract Specification (Sections 1 to 6 General Rules) (tracked changes)
Family Specification (tracked changes)
Immigration and Asylum Specification
Immigration and Asylum Specification (tracked changes)
Housing and Debt Specification
Sample Schedule
The Schedule is an important contract document which sets out provisions specific to an individual provider, including Matter Start allocations for Controlled Work. Although the contents of Schedules will vary between providers, a sample Schedule is provided for illustration.
Sample Contract for Signature
The Contract for Signature is the document which gives effect to the 2013 Standard Civil Contract as a whole. The contents of each Contract for Signature will vary between providers, and a sample Contract for Signature is provided for illustration.
Additional documents
Category definitions 2013
The Category Definitions 2013 state which services fall into each category of law. They relate to both the 2013 Standard Civil Contract for face-to-face providers and the 2013 CLA Contract.
Category Definitions (tracked changes)
Equality and diversity guidance 2013
This outlines the LAA's Equality and Diversity Guidance that is referred to in the 2013 Standard Terms. Providers must have regard to this when carrying out work under the 2013 Standard Civil Contract.
Equality and diversity guidance
LAA data security requirements and guidance
These documents comprises the basic requirements which providers must meet to maintain the security of data processed on behalf of or with the LAA, and provide more detailed information on how these requirements can be met.
Data security guidancePersonal guarantee and indemnity
Indemnity form (Limited Liability Partnerships)
Personal guarantee and indemnity deed of agreement (where one or more parties is an organisation with limited liability)
Summary of changes from 2010 Standard Civil Contract
Summary of changes to Standard Terms
Summary of changes to Specification (Sections 1 to 6 General Rules)
Summary of changes to Family Specification (Section 7)
Summary of changes to Immigration and Asylum Specification (Section 8)
Summary of changes to Housing and Debt Specification (Section 10)
Supervisor declaration forms
Immigration and asylum supervisor declaration
Education supervisor declaration
Housing and debt supervisor declaration
