Standard Crime Contract 2025

The 2025 Standard Crime Contract runs from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2035. It governs the provision of criminal legal aid services and consists of 4 documents:

• Standard terms

• Specification

• Schedule

• Contract for signature

Standard terms

The standard terms govern the commercial relationship between the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and legal aid providers.

The standard terms for the 2025 standard crime contract have been amended as follows:

Draft version 2 – The standard terms will be amended effective from 26 October 2026 to reflect that injunctions under Part 1 section 1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 will separate out into respect orders, youth injunctions and housing injunctions.

Version 1 - The original version of the standard terms effective from 1 October 2025.

Full details of the amendments made to the standard terms are listed in the above document named tables of amendments to the standard crime contract 2025.

Specification

The specification sets out the rules for carrying out publicly funded criminal defence work in England and Wales. The rates for this work can be found in the legal aid legislation.

The specification for the 2025 standard crime contract has been amended as follows:

Draft version 3 – The specification will be amended effective from 26 October 2026 to reflect that injunctions under Part 1 section 1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 will separate out into respect orders, youth injunctions and housing injunctions.

Version 2 - The specification was amended effective from 31 December 2025 for Parole Board referrals to the High Court.

Version 1 – The original version of the specification effective from 1 October 2025.

Full details of the amendments made to the specification are listed in the above document named tables of amendments to the standard crime contract 2025.

Sample schedule

This sets out provisions specific to individual providers. Use the sample schedule for illustration as schedules vary between providers.

Sample contract for signature

The contract for signature gives effect to the 2025 Standard Crime Contract as a whole. Use the sample contract for signature for illustration as they vary between providers.

Associated contract documents

Category definitions

This sets out the legal definitions of each category of law covered by the 2025 Standard Crime Contract.

Supervisor declaration forms and guidance

These documents set out the requirements that supervisors must satisfy.

Duty solicitor guidance

This sets out how the LAA interprets the duty solicitor requirements.

Welcome pack for previous providers - Crime Contract 2025

This provides an overview of the 2025 Standard Crime Contract, and details the key changes made from previous contracts. The detail in this pack is tailored to providers who have previously held a Crime Contract.

Welcome pack for new providers - Crime Contract 2025

This provides an overview of the 2025 Standard Crime Contract 2025, and provides detailed information on the operation of the contract. The detail in this pack is tailored to providers who have never held a Crime Contract before.

Police station representatives register

This is a list of police station representatives authorised to attend a police station under police station advice and assistance.

Police station register arrangements

These arrangements set out the rules for the police station representatives register.

Further documents

• Specialist Quality Mark Standard and Guidance

• Indemnities and Guarantee Forms

• Data Security Requirements and Guidance

• Equality and Diversity guidance

• Criminal Bills Assessment Manual

• LAA Payment Guidance

• Independent Peer Review Guidance

• Lord Chancellor’s Guidance - under section 4 of LASPO

• Criminal Legal Aid Regulations

• Crime Contract 2025 Tender