# The Criminal Legal Aid (Standard Crime Contract) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Criminal Legal Aid (General) Regulations 2013 (“the General Regulations”), the Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013 (“the Remuneration Regulations”), and the Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources) Regulations 2013 (“the Financial Regulations”). The General Regulations and the Financial Regulations together prescribe circumstances in which an individual qualifies for criminal legal aid under Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (“the Act”). The Remuneration Regulations make provision for the funding and remuneration of services made available under sections 13, 15 and 16 of the Act.
These Regulations amend the General Regulations, the Financial Regulations and the Remuneration Regulations to reflect the replacement of the 2022 Standard Crime Contract with the 2025 Standard Crime Contract on 1st October 2025. The Standard Crime Contract governs the contractual relationship between providers (organisations delivering criminal legal aid services) and the Lord Chancellor.
These Regulations also update references in the Remuneration Regulations to the Standard Crime Contract Guidance for Reporting Crime Lower Work (“the Guidance”), to reflect the latest version of the Guidance, being version 18 (February 2025).
Regulation 5 provides that these Regulations do not apply to remainder work carried out under the 2022 Standard Crime Contract, with “remainder work” defined in clause 1.1 of the 2022 Standard Crime Contract. These Regulations apply to determinations for criminal legal aid made on or after 1st October 2025, but also in relation to work done prior to 1st October 2025 by operation of Clause 1.28 of the 2025 Standard Crime Contract.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no significant impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.
A hard copy of the 2025 Standard Crime Contract can be obtained free of charge from the Legal Aid Agency, 13th Floor, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ. The 2025 Standard Crime Contract is also available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standard-crime-contract-2025.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1009/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-legal-aid-standard-crime-contract-amendment-regulations-2025/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.