CCMS rejections and LAA costs reviews: what to do when a legal aid bill is cut

A rejection means the claim has not been assessed at all, often because a document is missing, a figure does not reconcile or the claim does not match the certificate. The answer is to correct the problem and resubmit, quickly, because a rejected claim earns nothing while it waits.

A reduction means the assessor has looked at the claim and allowed less than you asked for. That is a decision you can challenge, but only within the time limit and only with a reasoned response.

The LAA may raise queries before deciding. Answer them precisely, point to the page of the file that supports the item and upload any missing evidence. Generic responses tend to produce generic reductions. Where the query reveals a genuine error, correct it rather than defending it; credibility matters for the rest of the claim.

If you disagree with an assessment, set out each item you challenge, the amount claimed and allowed, and why the reduction is wrong, by reference to the evidence, the Remuneration Regulations and the Costs Assessment Guidance. Concentrate on items that matter financially; contesting every small cut weakens the stronger points.

Our team prepares these submissions for firms regularly. A Costs Lawyer reviews the assessment, identifies the reductions worth contesting and drafts the review so it can be submitted within the deadline.

Where a review does not resolve the dispute and the issue is one of principle, such as how a rate or category of work should be treated, a further appeal to an independent costs assessor may be available. Decisions on points of principle can affect many future claims, so it is worth considering whether a point is likely to recur in your firm's work.

Keep a simple log of every rejection and reduction, its reason and its outcome. Patterns appear fast: a fee earner whose attendance notes are thin, a team that forgets to seek cost limit increases, or disbursements that keep arriving without prior authority. Fixing the cause is worth more than winning any single review.