The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP has appointed Gail Boyle as a Trustee to the Treasure Valuation Committee for a term of 5 years, commencing on 30 March 2018.

Gail Boyle is Senior Curator (Archaeology and World Cultures) for Bristol Culture and has played a leading role in the delivery of a wide variety of innovative and complex museum projects including the delivery of Bristol’s ‘M Shed’. In the wider sector, Gail chairs the Society for Museum Archaeology (the UK-wide Subject Specialist Network for British Archaeology) and in doing so provides professional advice and support on best practice and helps to shape future strategy at a national level. She also sits on several national heritage-related advisory boards, including the Portable Antiquities Advisory Group and Historic England’s ‘Historic Information Access Strategy’ Advisory Board, is a Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Council member and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. She has long-standing collaborative and teaching relationships with both the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England and until recently was a member of the Board of Trustees at Dr Jenner’s House, Museum and Garden. Away from the museum world Gail is an elected member and Vice Chair of Pucklechurch Parish Council.

The role is not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Gail has declared that she was elected (without contest) as Parish Councillor for Pucklechurch Parish Council in May 2015. She has no party affiliation and stood for election as an independent candidate. She remains independent of any party.

Published 19 April 2018

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We have updated the guidance handbooks for civil finance and escape cases.

Civil finance handbook changes

One of the main changes is the update to the guidance on whether a claim should be rejected, assessed or ‘document requested’. This change was dealt with recently in a GOV.UK news article on 22 March 2018.

We have also updated the rates section to provide additional clarity on the rates payable in family cases.

Escape cases handbook changes

The main changes relate to additional guidance on rates in housing cases, means assessment and guidance for asylum work.

We have also added in a template for use where there has been third party support.

The VAT section in both handbooks has been updated.

Full details of the changes for civil cases and escape cases can be found at the front of the handbooks.

How to use the handbooks

The electronic handbooks for both civil finance and escape cases contain our operational requirements and guidance.

They should be used together with the cost assessment guidance and also the relevant contracts.

Further information

Funding and costs assessment for civil and crime matters – to download the ‘electronic handbook’

Submit a claim for payment – to download ‘Guidance for escape case claims’

Improvements to reject process to speed up payments – GOV.UK news story on 22 March 2018

We have developed a new provider form which you can use when submitting appeals for escape case assessments for controlled work matters.

What are the benefits?

• standardised layout for appeal submission which is clear and easy to complete

• decisions against each item appealed recorded on the same form making process easier to follow

• speedier decisions from the LAA and adjudicators, reducing waiting times for decisions

Evidence requirements streamlined

We’re also relaxing the requirement that the appeal must be accompanied by the full file of papers.

Instead, providers can choose what relevant information and documents in support they want considered to support their appeal narrative. Examples include attendance notes, disbursement vouchers.

Providers can still choose to submit an entire case file to support their appeal which we will process.

If an appeal is sent to the independent adjudicator the supporting documents or full file will continue to be sent to the adjudicator.

Electronic appeals

If providers do not need to send the full file of papers in support of the appeal we confirm that we are happy to accept appeals and supporting documents by email. This includes scanned documents.

We can support emailed appeals with attachments up to 8MB.

Voluntary process

Completion of the new form is voluntary and we recommend providers use it. But you can submit electronic appeals and take advantage of the streamlined evidence requirements without using the new form.

There are no changes to the way appeals are processed.

Further information

Escaped cases appeal pro forma – to download new form

mhu-ec@legalaid.gsi.gov.uk – to email for advice

0151 235 6750 – urgent enquiries only

A new form has been made available for clients to provide evidence of any third party financial support they receive when applying for legal help.

We recommend using the ‘third party financial support evidence pro-forma’ when completing:

• CW1: legal help, help at court and family help (lower)

• CW2 IMM: controlled legal representation (Immigration)

This should simplify applications for clients because they will no longer need to obtain letters from the supporting party.

Why are we doing this?

Letters provided by third parties do not always contain the information we need to confirm eligibility for funding.

This will help to ensure consistency in the information we receive and speed up the application process.

How does the form work?

Information still needs to be provided by a third party. But the form will help the person filling it in to see quickly what is needed. These are the main elements:

• name and address of person providing support and their relationship to the client

• type of support provided i.e. ‘accommodation only’ or ‘basic needs subsistence non-financial’ or ‘financial’

• where financial support is provided the amount and frequency

• date support started

Benefits

1. simpler to see that the correct means assessment evidence for third party support is being supplied

2. fewer cost reductions upon assessment or audit

3. reduction in time spent appealing decisions

Further information

CW1 financial eligibility for legal aid clients – to download CW1 form and new pro-forma

CW2 (IMM) for representation – to download CW2 form and new pro-forma