Legal aid providers can claim for completed pre-charge engagement
work under the 2022 Crime Contract.
Pre-charge engagement refers to a voluntary engagement between
the parties to an investigation after the first PACE (Police and
Criminal Evidence Act 1984) interview, and before any suspect has
been formally charged in line with the Attorney General's
guidelines on disclosure.
Providers can also claim when preparatory work takes place to
determine if pre-charge engagement would benefit the
client.
Claims may be submitted irrespective of whether there is
subsequent agreement between parties to the investigation that
pre-charge engagement should take place.
Providers are encouraged to read the guidance found in the 2022
Crime Contract and Criminal Bills Assessment Manual.
Providers should also take note of the Attorney General's
Guidelines on Disclosure, Annex B Paragraph 10.
The correct codes to use when claiming on CWA can be found in the
guidance for reporting crime lower work.
Claims will be remunerated on an hourly rates basis with an
extendable upper costs limit of £273.75.
Further information
Standard Crime Contract
2022 – see chapter 9 of the specification for more details on
pre-charge engagement
Criminal Bills Assessment
Manual – see chapter 5.16 for guidance on Pre- Charge
Engagement Advice and Assistance
Attorney General's
Guidelines on Disclosure - GOV.UK. – annex B, paragraph
10
CWA guidance – claim
codes guidance includes outcome codes CN12 and CN13 for
pre-charge engagement work
Government's interim
response to the criminal legal aid independent review – for
the government's position on the funding of pre-charge engagement
