On this page we’ll provide the latest updates relating to the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) cyber incident confirmed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on 19 May 2025.

The Chair of the Bar, Barbara Mills KC, is in regular contact with the LAA Chief Executive and senior staff relaying queries and concerns from members of the Bar and pressing for the restoration of payment systems to remain a priority.

Page created: 30 May 2025
Last updated: 23 June 2025

Key information links

The dedicated pages on the GOV.UK website provide the most up-to-date and detailed information on the cyber incident and contingency measures. Please check the latest updates. The key links are:

LAA dedicated webpage – the LAA is keeping this page updated with information on contingency measures and progress on restoring systems

FAQs – the FAQs are being updated regularly and the LAA is flagging new FAQs in their email updates to providers

Contingency payment – providers guide (PDF) – the LAA has set out the contingency arrangements and recoupment processes in this guide - there are additional FAQs at the end of the guide

If your questions are not answered by the LAA information, please email us via [email protected]

Current situation – what we know

Our focus has been on securing the restoration of payment systems and, in the short term, contingency arrangements for interim payments. Here are the latest updates:

Criminal legal aid

Criminal legal aid fees are now being processed in the normal way, but are taking longer. The LAA in their update of 19 June wrote: "as of Monday 16 June, all Crown Court payments are being made within the published key performance indicator of 20 working days. If you have submitted a bill outside the 20-day window and have not received payment, please telephone the Criminal billing enquiries team on 0300 200 2020."

Civil and family legal aid
  • The system remains offline and the LAA does not have a date for restoration of services
  • On Wednesday 28 May the LAA published details of contingency measures to provide interim payments until the systems are back up and running
  • Barristers can choose to opt in to the contingency arrangements to receive a temporary average payment, based on an average calculated from a three-month period (Feb-Apr 2025). An email was sent to providers on 28 May confirming the amount payable for their account
  • An appeal mechanism is in place using the ‘escalated contingency payment’ scheme by emailing [email protected]
  • Clerks can request the payment details for members and submit opt-in requests for multiple members by emailing [email protected]
  • Sole practitioners can sign their own declarations
  • Those who are not on the LAA systems (for example pupils and those returning from career breaks who haven’t received payments in Feb-Apr) can apply via the escalation process by emailing [email protected]
  • The process to opt in will run on a weekly basis and the payment will remain the same for each week the barrister opts in – the LAA will be keeping this under review
  • Once the system is restored the interim payments will be recouped
  • Details of the contingency and recoupment processes are set out in Contingency payment – providers guide (PDF), which includes additional FAQs at the end
  • The LAA outlined a payment schedule in its email update to providers dated 5 June 

Bar Council activity

Representation to the LAA 

The Bar Council Chair and staff, along with the Family Law Bar Association and the Criminal Bar Association, are in regular contact with the LAA relaying members’ questions and concerns and pressing for the restoration of payment systems to be prioritised. The Bar Council Chair has also requested that the LAA put in place a formal review date to consider feedback from providers.

Input to restoration plans

We’ve nominated representatives to a technical working group, including fees clerks and chambers software suppliers. The LAA is consulting this group on plans to restore systems.

Representation to HMRC

With VAT and tax bills due over the next couple of months, in early June our Chair wrote to the HMRC Chief Executive to request that payment extensions be put in place for those who need it.

In its response, HMRC has not agreed to a default additional payment period but has signposted barristers to their Time to Pay payment plans. The response reads: "We have advised HMRC Debt Management staff of the incident, its impact and that some customers experiencing payment difficulties as a result may contact us to discuss Time to Pay plans.

"We encourage those affected by the cyber attack who are concerned about their ability to pay, to contact us to discuss the support available."

More detail relating to the HMRC response was sent to the Bar by email on 23 June.  

Barristers facing difficulty in paying tax bills should refer to Part 12 of the Bar Council Taxation Handbook.

The LAA in their update email of 19 June wrote:

"The LAA has written to the HMRC Director for Indirect Taxes which includes VAT. HMRC have updated their guidance on the VAT and Debt customer support lines including ‘time to pay arrangements’ acknowledging that they are working with the LAA. Individual practitioners who are concerned about their ability to meet a VAT bill deadline as a result of delayed legal aid payments should contact HMRC individually. HMRC VAT Helpline: 0300 200 3700."

Previous Bar Council updates

Tuesday 20 May
Friday 23 May
Wednesday 28 May
Friday 30 May
Friday 30 May - update for pupils and pupil supervisors
Friday 6 June
Monday 23 June

Sources of alternative funding

We know that this cyber incident has happened at a very difficult time for many, with VAT and tax payments due, alongside the general cost of living expenses. Below is information about other sources of funding for the Bar. Please consult the relevant websites to consider the details carefully.

Barristers’ Benevolent Association: for those experiencing financial hardship, please consider applying to the Barristers’ Benevolent Association for support. Each application is assessed on its individual merits and is considered by the BBA committee. Please be aware that it can be quite a lengthy process.

Vector finance loans: our business partner Vector Professions Finance is able to offer short-term aged debt funding loans to assist with delayed payments:

  • For transactions over £25,001 and structured over a 12-month term, the lender would not usually require bank statements, just a completed online form together with an electronic printout of gross receipts for the last 12 months and an electronic print out from the clerks’ system of aged debt
  • For transactions below £25,001 but not below £10,000 (min) the above information would be required together with three months of business and three months of personal bank statements with confirmation of any overdraft facility amounts in place

Shire Professions Finance: our business partner Shire Professions Finance can support barristers to:

  • Fill cashflow gaps
  • Evaluate current financial planning and implement contingency plans
  • Protect existing financial data and remain compliant with regulations  

Questions

If you have questions that are not covered by the LAA information or the information set out above, please email us via [email protected]

We'll continue to keep this page updated.