The LAA has announced that it is increasing the default costs limit on certificates in family cases to £5000. This doesn’t apply to emergency certificates – that limit remains at £1350 (though you have a delegated function to increase that to up to £10,000 to do further urgent work).
More on the LAA website here.
Meanwhile the LAA has amended its guidance for situations where there is a show cause notice. The old guidance suggested costs were not claimable in such situations – that was true of Access to Justice Act cases but not LASPO cases. Under LASPO, if the show cause is removed it as if it never existed and all work is claimable. Well done to the Association of Costs Lawyers for pushing the LAA to correct the guidance.
Legal Aid Handbook 
Re amended LAA guidance: Issues were also raised with and amendments made to “Administrative work claimed incorrectly” and “Disbursement vouchers not provided for expenses over £20”
The previous guidance said that “reviewing costs” was deemed to be administrative work and therefore not claimable, but did not make any distinction between maintaining costs records (deemed administrative under ss6.60(a) of the Specification and para 2.1 of the Costs Assessment Guidance), and reviewing the costs costs limitation/work concerning inter partes costs e.g. Budgets and liability for costs etc. (provision of client services and actual case work).
It previously also said that evidence for disbursements of £20 including VAT was required, but failed to outline that this is to be kept on file rather than being filed at court with the bill (otherwise there would be a conflict with CPR Part 47 PD 17.2(1)(e)).
Thanks Paul. Good that’s been corrected as well