Guidance

Civil processing dates

Check timescales for LAA to process your work (for example, civil applications and bills).

From:
Legal Aid Agency
Published
1 June 2014
Last updated
1017 February 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

Summary of processing timescales

Information will be updated on a weekly basis and the current position will be the oldest date as of Friday the previous week.

(Last updated 1017 February 2026)

Current targets:

Civil applications Civil amendments Civil bills Very high cost case plans and correspondence (family cases exceeding £25,000 using single counsel*)
85% processed (end-to-end) in 20 working days (excluding the most complex cases) 75% processed (end to end) in 20 working days (excluding the most complex cases) 95% of complete and accurate bills within 20 working days 95% within 20 working days

We continually aim to turnaround applications and bills as soon as possible and strive to deliver performance under our current set targets.

Civil applications

We are currently receiving high levels of intake following restoration of our civil systems. Please only contact the Customer Service Team if your work is outside of the date below or you have a hearing in the next 48 hours.

The oldest date represents the current turnaround time for applications that require a full means and merits assessment. Applications without a means assessment, or those cases where the client receives a passported benefit, will take approximately 6 days less time to process. The oldest date does not take into account applications where the LAA is waiting for a response to a request for further information

Work type Current Processing Date
Applications (inc means assessments) 2230 December 2025
Amendments/AuthoritiesAmendments 2206 DecemberJanuary 20252026
Prior Authorities18 February 2026
Appeal 0311 February 2026
Discharge 2308 DecemberJanuary 20252026
Means re-assessments 0409 February 2026

Please note that Prior authorities should be submitted via a ‘Prior Authority Task’ not an ‘Amendment Task’ the dates above will depend on how the Prior Authority is submitted.

Civil Applications and Exceptional & Complex Cases are distinct teams with separate workstreams. Each operates under different KPIs and oldest date metrics. Please find below the latest update regarding Exceptional & Complex Cases.

ECCT applications

The percentage of cases older than the current processing date includes ongoing matters, where further information has previously been requested by ECCT

ECCT Work type Current Processing Date Backlog % Older Than Current Processing Date
ECC emergency applications 0206 February 2026 7.1%14.8%
ECC Substantive Applications 0102 December 2025January 2026 25.7%7.0%
ECC Amendments 0422 December 2025 15.9%11.4%
ECC Appeals 1923 December 2025 33.2%51.1%
ECC Case Plans 0312 November December 2025 19.8%19.1%
ECF Work type Current Processing Date Backlog % Older Than Current Processing Date
ECF New Applications 08 September 2025 8.8%6.7%
ECF Amendments 0811 AugustSeptember 2025 7.2%11.4%
ECF Reviews 07 July 2025 6.2%10.5%

Civil bills

Please remember to submit your CCMS Outcome promptly to avoid payment delays as these timescales for CCMS claims reflect those claims that have already had their ‘outcomes’ reported and finalised. Civil news: submitting case ‘outcomes’ and prompt payments

Work type Current Processing Date
Court Assessed 1926 January 2026
Fixed fee 1626 January 2026
Hourly rate 1927 January 2026

FAS and POA claims we are processing within 4 working days and in most cases 2 to 3 working days

Please allow a further 5 – 9 days for payment to be received.

For further performance information please see the Government Performance Platform.

High Cost Family

Work type Current Processing Date
Single Case plan 2313 DecemberJanuary 20252026
Two Case plan 2916 DecemberJanuary 20252026
Correspondence 2611 JanuaryFebruary 2026

(*) Please note case plans which fall into the following categories of law fall into the 2 Counsel workstream; Child Abduction, FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and FMPO (Forced Marriage Protection Order)

For more information on the LAA’s current contingency measures please see here www.gov.uk/guidance/legal-aid-agency-cyber-security-incident

Updates to this page

Published 1 June 2014
Last updated 1017 February 2026 + show all updates

  1. All Civil updated

  2. All Civil updated

  3. Civil bills Updated

  4. High Cost Family, ECCT applications and Civil applications updated

  5. All civil updated

  6. All Civil updated

  7. Added new line to ECCT

  8. Formatting changes

  9. Updated Formatting

  10. Dates and Formatting changed and added information

  11. Dates updated

  12. All dates updated

  13. All Civil updated

  14. All Civil updated

  15. Civil applications updated

  16. Dates updated

  17. Civil applications updated

  18. All dates updated

  19. All dates updated

  20. Civil applications and ECCT updated

  21. All updated

  22. All updated

  23. Civil applications updated

  24. Updated in full

  25. ECCT Applications updated

  26. Civil applications updated

  27. Civil applications updated

  28. Civil applications updated

  29. Civil applications updated

  30. Civil applications updated

  31. Civil applications updated

  32. Civil applications updated

  33. Civil applications updated

  34. Added TBC for all current dates

  35. contingency arrangements added

  36. Civil applications Updated

  37. Civil applications updated

  38. Civil applications updated

  39. Civil applications updated

  40. Civil applications updated

  41. Civil applications updated

  42. Civil applications Updated

  43. Civil applications updated

  44. Civil applications updated

  45. Civil applications updated

  46. Civil applications updated

  47. Civil applications updated

  48. Civil applications updated

  49. Civil applications Updated

  50. Civil applications Updated

  51. Civil applications updated

  52. Civil applications uodated

  53. Civil applications updated

  54. Civil applications updated

  55. Civil applications updated

  56. Civil applications updated

  57. Civil applications updated

  58. Civil applications updated

  59. Civil applications Updated

  60. Civil applications updated

  61. Civil applications updated

  62. Civil applications updated

  63. Civil applications updated

  64. Civil applications updated

  65. Civil applications updated

  66. Civil applications updated

  67. Civil applications updated

  68. Civil applications updated

  69. Civil applications updated

  70. Civil applications updated

  71. Civil applications updated

  72. Civil applications updated

  73. Civil applications updated

  74. Civil applications updated

  75. Civil applications updated

  76. Civil applications updated

  77. Civil applications updated

  78. Civil applications updated

  79. Civil applications updated

  80. Civil applications updated

  81. Civil applications updated

  82. Civil applications updated

  83. All Updated

  84. Civil applications Updated

  85. Civil applications updated

  86. Civil applications updated

  87. Civil applications updated

  88. Civil applications updated

  89. Civil applications updated

  90. High Cost Family wording updated

  91. High Cost Family updated

  92. High Cost Family and Civil applications updated

  93. Updated single counsel wording

  94. High Cost Family Updated

  95. Civil applications updd

  96. All Civil updated

  97. Civil applications Updated

  98. Civil applications updated

  99. Civil applications updated

  100. All updated

  101. Civil applications updated

  102. Civil applications

  103. All Dates Updated

  104. All dates updated

  105. Civil applications updated

  106. Civil applications updated

  107. Civil applications Updated

  108. All Dates Updated

  109. Civil applications updated

  110. Civil applications updated

  111. Civil applications Updated

  112. Civil applications Updated

  113. Civil applications updated

  114. Civil applications Updated

  115. All dates updated

  116. Civil applications updated

  117. Updated civil applications

  118. Updated civil applications

  119. Updated civil applications

  120. Updated Civil applications

  121. Civil applications Updated

  122. Civil applications Updated

  123. Civil applications Updated

  124. All dates updated

  125. ECCT dates updated

  126. All Dates updated

  127. Civil applications Updated

  128. Dates Updated

  129. All dates Updated

  130. All dates updated

  131. Civil applications updated

  132. ECCT Applications Updated

  133. All Dates updated

  134. Amendments/Authorities Corrected

  135. All dates updated

  136. Civil applications updated

  137. All dates updated

  138. All Dates updated

  139. Civil applications Updated

  140. All Dates Updated

  141. All Dates updated

  142. All dates updated

  143. All Dates Updated

  144. Civil applications Updated

  145. All dates updated

  146. Updated Civil bills

  147. All Dates updated

  148. All Dates updated

  149. All Dates updated

  150. Civil applications dates updated

  151. Civil applications Dates updated

  152. Dates updated and updated ECCT processing figures for covering July 2023

  153. Dates Updated

  154. Dates Updated

  155. Dates Updated

  156. Dates Updated

  157. Dates Updated

  158. Dates Updated

  159. Dates Updated

  160. Dates Updated

  161. Dates Updated

  162. Dates Updated

  163. Dates Updated

  164. Dates and ECCT Applications updated

  165. Dates Updated

  166. Dates Updated

  167. Dates Updated

  168. Dates Updated

  169. Dates Updated

  170. ECCT monthly target and average days updated for March

  171. Dates updated

  172. Dates Updated

  173. Dates Updated

  174. Dates Updated

  175. Dates Updated

  176. Dates Updated

  177. Dates Updated

  178. Dates Updated

  179. Dates Updated

  180. Dates Updated

  181. Dates Updated

  182. Dates Updated

  183. Dates Updated

  184. Dates updated

  185. Dates Updated

  186. Dates Updated

  187. Dates Updated

  188. Dates Updated

  189. Dates Updated

  190. Dates Updated

  191. Dates Updated

  192. Dates Updated

  193. Dates Updated

  194. Current targets now include amendments.

  195. Dates Updated

  196. Dates Updated

  197. Dates Updated

  198. Dates Updated

  199. Dates Updated

  200. ECCT Updated

  201. Dates Updated

  202. Dates Updated

  203. Dates Updated

  204. Dates Updated

  205. Dates Updated

  206. Dates Updated

  207. Dates Updated

  208. Dates updated

  209. Dates Updated

  210. Dates Updated

  211. Dates Updated

  212. Update to processing dates wording

  213. Dates Updated

  214. Dates Updated

  215. Dates Updated

  216. Dates Updated

  217. Dates Updated

  218. Dates Updated

  219. Dates Updated

  220. Dates Updated

  221. Dates Updated

  222. Dates Updated

  223. Dates Updated

  224. Dates Updated

  225. Dates Updated

  226. Dates Updated

  227. Dates Updated

  228. Dates Updated

  229. Dates Updated

  230. Dates Updated

  231. Dates Updated

  232. Dates updated

  233. Dates Updated

  234. Dates Updated

  235. Dates Updated

  236. Dates Updated

  237. Dates Updated

  238. Dates Updated

  239. Dates Updated

  240. Dates Updated

  241. Dates Updated

  242. Dates Updated

  243. Dates Updated

  244. Dates Updated

  245. Dates Updated

  246. Dates Updated

  247. Dates Updated

  248. Dates Updated

  249. Dates Updated

  250. Dates Updated

  251. Dates Updated

  252. Dates Updated

  253. Dates Updated

  254. Dates Updated

  255. Daes Updated

  256. Dates Updated

  257. Dates Updated

  258. Dates Updated.

  259. Dates Updated

  260. Dates updated.

  261. Dates Updated

  262. Dates Updated

  263. Dates Updated

  264. Dates Changed

  265. Dates Updated

  266. Dates Updated

  267. Dates Updated

  268. Dates Updated

  269. Dates Updated

  270. Dates Updated

  271. Dates Updated

  272. Dates Updated

  273. Dates Updated

  274. Dates Updated

  275. Dates Updated

  276. Dates Updated

  277. Dates Updated

  278. Dates Updated

  279. Dates Updated

  280. Dates Updated

  281. Dates Updated

  282. Dates Updated

  283. Dates Updated

  284. Dates Updated

  285. Dates Updated

  286. Dates Updated

  287. Dates Updated

  288. Dates Updated

  289. Dates Updated

  290. Dates Updated

  291. Dates Updated

  292. Dates Updated

  293. Dates Updated

  294. Dates Updated

  295. Dates Updated

  296. Dates Updated

  297. Dates Updated

  298. Dates Updated

  299. Dates Updated

  300. Dates Updated

  301. Dates Updated

  302. Dates Updated

  303. Dates Updated

  304. Dates Updated

  305. Dates Updated

  306. Dates Updated

  307. Dates Updated

  308. Dates Updated

  309. Dates and ECCT wording updated

  310. Dates Updated

  311. Dates Updated

  312. Dates Updated

  313. Dates Updated

  314. Dates Updated

  315. Dates Updated

  316. Dates Updated

  317. Dates Updated

  318. Dates updated

  319. Dates Updated

  320. Dates Updated

  321. Dates Updated

  322. Dates Updated

  323. Dates Updated

  324. Dates Updated

  325. Dates Updated

  326. Dates updated

  327. Dates Updated

  328. Dates Updated

  329. Dates Updated

  330. Dates updated

  331. Dates Updated

  332. Dates Updated

  333. Dates Updates

  334. Dates Updated

  335. Dates Updated

  336. Dates Updated

  337. Dated Updated

  338. Dates Updated

  339. Dates updated

  340. Dates Updated

  341. ECCT dates updated

  342. ECCT dates updated

  343. Dates updated

  344. Dates updated.

  345. Dates updated.

  346. Dates updated

  347. Updated ECCT wording

  348. Added new ECCT stats

  349. Dates Updated

  350. Dates Updated

  351. Removed ECCT stats

  352. ECCT stats added

  353. ECCT stats added

  354. ECCT Stats now added

  355. Dates Updated

  356. Dates Updated

  357. Dates Updated

  358. Dates Updated

  359. Dates Updated

  360. Dates Updated

  361. Dates Updated

  362. Changed High Cost Family title

  363. Dates Updated

  364. Dates Updated

  365. Dates updated

  366. Dates updated

  367. Dates Updated

  368. Dates Updated

  369. Dates updated.

  370. Dates Updated

  371. Sates updated

  372. Dates Updated

  373. Dates updated.

  374. Dates updated

  375. Dates updated.

  376. Dates updated

  377. Dates Updated

  378. Dates updated

  379. Dates Updated

  380. Dates updated

  381. Dates Updated

  382. Dates Updated

  383. Dates Updated

  384. Dates updated

  385. Dates updated

  386. Dates Updated

  387. Dates updated

  388. Dates updated

  389. Dates updated

  390. Dates Updated

  391. Dates updated

  392. Dates Updated

  393. Dates updated

  394. Dates updated

  395. Dates Updated

  396. Dates updated

  397. Dates updated.

  398. Dates Updated

  399. Dates updated

  400. Dates updated

  401. Dates updated.

  402. Dates updated

  403. Dates updated

  404. Dates updated.

  405. Dates updated

  406. Dates Updated

  407. Dates Updated

  408. Dates Updated

  409. Dates updated

  410. Dates Updated

  411. Dates updated

  412. Dates updated

  413. Dates updated.

  414. Dates updated

  415. Dates updated

  416. Dates updated

  417. Dates updated.

  418. Dates Updated

  419. Dates Updated

  420. Dates changed

  421. Dates Updated

  422. Updated dates

  423. Dates Updated

  424. Title changed

  425. Dates Updated

  426. Dates Updated

  427. Dates updated

  428. Dates Updated

  429. Dates updated

  430. Dates updated

  431. Dates updated

  432. Civil application dates updated.

  433. Updated Civil application dates.

  434. Civil application dates updated.

  435. Civil application dates updated.

  436. Dates updated

  437. Civil application dates updated.

  438. Civil application dates updated.

  439. Civil application dates updated.

  440. Civil application dates updated.

  441. Civil application dates updated.

  442. Civil application dates updated.

  443. Dates Updated

  444. Civil application dates updated.

  445. Civil application dates updated.

  446. Civil application dates updated.

  447. Civil applications dates updated.

  448. Civil application dates updated.

  449. Dates updated

  450. Civil application dates updated.

  451. Civil application dates updated.

  452. Civil application dates updated.

  453. Civil application dates updated.

  454. Civil applications dates updated.

  455. Civil application dates updated.

  456. Civil application dates updated.

  457. Civil application dates updated.

  458. Civil application dates updated.

  459. Civil application dates updated.

  460. Civil applications dates updated.

  461. Civil application dates updated.

  462. Civil applications dates updated.

  463. Civil applications dates updated.

  464. Civil application dates updated.

  465. Civil application dates updated.

  466. Civil applications dates updated.

  467. Civil applications dates updated.

  468. Civil applications dates updated.

  469. Civil applications dates updated.

  470. Civil applications dates updated.

  471. Civil applications dates updated.

  472. Civil applications dates updated.

  473. Civil applications dates updated.

  474. Civil applications dates updated.

  475. Civil applications dates updated.

  476. Dates updated.

  477. Dates updated.

  478. Civil Applications dates updated.

  479. Civil applications dates updated.

  480. Civil applications dates updated.

  481. Civil applications dates updated.

  482. Civil applications dates updated.

  483. Civil applications dates updated.

  484. Civil applications dates updated.

  485. All dates updated

  486. Civil applications dates updated.

  487. All dates updated

  488. Civil applications dates updated.

  489. Civil Applications dates updated.

  490. All dates updated

  491. Civil dates updated 12/02/2020

  492. Civil application dates updated.

  493. Civil applications dates updated.

  494. Dates updated

  495. Civil applications dates updated.

  496. Civil applications date updated.

  497. Dates updated

  498. Civil applications dates updated.

  499. Civil applications dates updated.

  500. Civil applications dates updated.

  501. Civil applications dates updated.

  502. Dates changed

  503. Civil applications dates updated.

  504. Dates Updated

  505. Civil applications dates updated.

  506. All dates updated.

  507. Civil applications dates updated.

  508. Civil applications dates updated.

  509. Civil applications dates updated.

  510. Civil applications dates updated.

  511. All dates updated.

  512. Civil applications dates updated.

  513. All dates updated.

  514. Civil applications dates updated.

  515. Civil applications dates updated.

  516. All dates updated.

  517. Civil applications dates updated.

  518. Civil applications dates updated.

  519. All dates updated.

  520. Civil applications dates updated.

  521. Civil applications dates updated.

  522. Civil applications dates updated.

  523. Civil applications dates updated.

  524. All dates updated.

  525. Civil application dates updated.

  526. Civil applications dates updated.

  527. Dates updated.

  528. Civil applications dates updated.

  529. All dates updated.

  530. All dates updated.

  531. Civil applications dates updated.

  532. Civil applications dates updated.

  533. All dates updated.

  534. Civil applications dates updated.

  535. Civil application dates updated.

  536. Civil application dates updated.

  537. Dates updated.

  538. Dates updated.

  539. Dates updated.

  540. Dates updated.

  541. Dates updated

  542. Dates updated

  543. Dates updated

  544. Dates updated

  545. Dates updated

  546. Dates updated

  547. Dates updated

  548. Dates updated.

  549. Dates updated.

  550. Dates updated

  551. Dates updated

  552. Dates updated

  553. Dates updated

  554. Dates updated

  555. Dates Changed

  556. Dates updated

  557. Dates updated

  558. Dates updated

  559. Dates updated

  560. Dates updated

  561. Dates updated

  562. Dates updated

  563. Dates updated

  564. Dates updated

  565. Dates changed

  566. Dates changed

  567. Dates Updated

  568. Dates updated

  569. Dates updated

  570. Dates updated

  571. Dates updated

  572. Dated changed

  573. Dates updated

  574. Dates changed

  575. Dates changed

  576. Dates changed

  577. Dates changed.

  578. Dates updated.

  579. Dates updated.

  580. Dates updated.

  581. Dates updated.

  582. Dates updated

  583. Dates updated

  584. Dates updated

  585. Dates updated.

  586. Dates updated.

  587. Dates updated.

  588. Updated working days.

  589. Dates updated.

  590. Dates updated.

  591. Dates updated.

  592. Dates updated.

  593. Dates updated.

  594. Dates updated.

  595. Dates updated.

  596. Dates updated.

  597. Dates updated.

  598. Dates updated.

  599. Dates updated.

  600. Dates updated.

  601. Dates updated.

  602. Dates updated.

  603. Dates updated.

  604. Dates updated.

  605. Dates updated.

  606. Dates updated.

  607. Dates updated.

  608. Dates updated.

  609. Dates updated.

  610. Dates updated.

  611. Dates updated.

  612. Dates updated.

  613. Latest processing dates published.

  614. Latest processing times published.

  615. Processing times updated.

  616. Dates updated.

  617. Dates updated.

  618. Dates updated.

  619. Dates updated.

  620. Dates updated.

  621. Dates updated.

  622. Dates updated.

  623. Civil processing dates updated.

  624. Dates updated.

  625. Dates updated.

  626. Dates updated.

  627. Civil processing dates updated.

  628. Dates updated.

  629. Dates updated.

  630. Dates updated.

  631. Civil processing dates updated.

  632. Dates updated.

  633. Dates updated.

  634. Dates updated.

  635. Dates updated.

  636. Dates updated.

  637. Dates updated.

  638. Dates updated.

  639. Date format updated.

  640. Dates updated.

  641. Updated

  642. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page

Contents