Tendering for legal aid contracts
About the 2025 criminal legal aid tender
We’ve been left dismayed by the new UK government’s failure to show that it is serious about tackling the crisis in our criminal justice system.
We can no longer ask firms to hold on in the hope of action from government that may never come.
We recommend firms examine the viability of each type of criminal legal aid work they undertake to decide if they should scale back or withdraw altogether until there is meaningful government action.
Read our guidance on the options firms should consider now to help you decide whether your firm can continue to provide criminal legal aid work.
Watch our head of justice, Richard Miller, set out in this on-demand recording what firms offering criminal legal aid work need to know before taking part in the 2025 tender.
There are a range of legal aid contracts for different types of work.
The LAA mainly holds tenders for each type of legal aid service every three to four years. It may also hold ad hoc smaller tenders, for example, if there is a gap in provision in a particular area.
You can only apply when a tender is open.
The arrangements vary for each tender and will be explained in the tender details.
Legal Aid Agency: current and closed tenders
LAA eTendering portal
The LAA offers contracts through its eTendering portal. You’ll need to register to use the portal. Your organisation should have a single registration, but you can set up more than one user.
The LAA posts updates about the process on the eTendering portal message boards. You should monitor these boards regularly.
Support and guidance on the eTendering portal
Before you tender
The LAA will publish information for applicants (known as 'invitations to tender' (ITT)) for each tender.
Read these carefully to find out what the requirements are and what information and documents you need to provide.
If you’re not clear about anything, you can submit a question using the messaging tool in the eTendering portal.
The LAA will publish answers to frequently asked questions on its tenders pages.
Submitting a tender
The LAA will set a closing date for each tender.
When working on and submitting your tender you should:
- allow enough time to gather all the information
- read all the questions carefully and answer them fully
- provide all the information the LAA asks for
- have a colleague check your answers
- submit your tender well before the closing date – if it’s late the LAA will not accept it, and if you wait till the last day technical issues could prevent your tender from being uploaded in time
- make sure the LAA has an up-to-date email address for your firm
- check your inbox (and junk folder) regularly in case you need to reply to an email from the LAA
Read the LAA’s guidance on tendering
Assessment of tenders
The ITT for each tender will explain the criteria the LAA will use to assess tenders and award contracts.
To be eligible to apply, you may need to hold a relevant quality standard such as the Specialist Quality Mark or Lexcel.
Find out more about our firm accreditations
Find out more about our individual accreditations
The LAA will notify you whether your tender was successful via the eTendering portal.
Appeals
If your tender is not successful, you can only appeal if you think the LAA made a mistake in its assessment. Details of how to appeal will be included in the ITT.
Contracts
If you’re successful, you’ll be awarded a contract to deliver legal aid services. The terms of the service that you must provide and how you’ll be paid will be set out in the contract.
View all current legal aid contracts