Legal Aid Agency extend crime contract to 30 September 2025

A headline intentions document has been published on GOV.UK about a 24 month extension to the 2022 standard crime contract.

The extension means that the contract will now end on 30 September 2025.

Next steps

We will issue notices of the extension to individual providers by the end of May 2023. New schedules will be issued later in 2023.

Why is this happening?

The Ministry of Justice is continuing work on the next phase of the policy development of the Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review (CLAIR) proposals.

We consider that we will be best placed to tender for a future crime contract once the outcome of this policy work is known.

2022 crime contract changes

We are engaging with representative bodies to discuss potential changes that could be introduced through the 2022 crime contract to:

• increase flexibility
• reduce administration for providers

Further information

Standard Crime Contract 2022 – to download headline intentions document

Response to independent review of criminal legal aid