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2025 Standard Crime Contract Outcome

The Legal Aid Agency

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

29 Jul 2026 at 11:25

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Legal Aid Agency procured publicly funded criminal legal aid services under the 2025 Standard Crime Contract. The requirement covers criminal legal work delivered across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West. This is a services opportunity in the legal sector, classified under CPV 79100000. The contract is intended to support delivery of publicly funded criminal legal aid through multiple appointed suppliers rather than a single provider. It is relevant to organisations that provide criminal defence or related publicly funded criminal legal services within the geographic areas covered by the contract.

The procurement is complete and contracts were awarded to multiple suppliers. The Legal Aid Agency used an open procedure described as an open procedure below threshold. Applicants had to respond to the Stage 3 selection questionnaire and invitation to tender, with the tender deadline set for 30 September 2025 at 23:59. The estimated procurement value was £1.8 billion. The recorded award value was £180 million, awarded on 1 October 2025. The contract period runs from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2034. Stage 3 awards published in this process relate to contracts awarded between April and June 2026. The procurement was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This award demonstrates substantial public-sector demand for criminal legal aid services across the whole of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Organisations that can deliver publicly funded criminal defence work, meet the requirements of the Stage 3 selection questionnaire and invitation to tender, and operate across relevant local markets are the natural comparator suppliers. The buyer’s use of an open procedure and its stated suitability for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises indicate that smaller specialist practices and mission-led providers can be credible participants, alongside larger legal services organisations. A future competitor would need established criminal legal expertise, the operational capacity to handle publicly funded cases, and the governance and submission capability needed for the LAA’s standard contract process.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

2025 Standard Crime Contract Outcome

Notice Description

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) invited Applicants to submit a Tender for a 2025 Standard Crime Contract ("Crime Contract") to deliver publicly funded criminal legal aid services from 1 October 2025. Applicants wishing to deliver criminal legal aid services under a Crime Contract must submit a response to the SQ for 2025 Standard Crime Contracts - Stage 3 and the 2025 Standard Crime Contract ITT - Stage 3. This application period opened on 01May 2025. The LAA intends that the application period will remain open until on, or around, 30 September 2034, subject to the right of early termination. It is the Applicant's sole responsibility to ensure that it submits a Complete Tender before the Tender Deadline. The procurement processes for the 2025 Standard Crime Contract Stages 1 and 2 have closed. Stage 3 remains open. This notice publishes the contracts awarded under Stage 3 from April to June 2026. Additional information: Please find details of the contracts awarded under the 2025 Standard Crime Contract here:

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-dc69bfce-7735-45e6-a65d-8926a7fbd091
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e61db41a-54b1-4126-9393-b8ab9c7b4e10
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure (below threshold)
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79100000 - Legal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,800,000,000 £1B-£10B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£180,000,000 £100M-£1B
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
1 Oct 20251 years ago
Contract Period
1 Oct 2025 - 30 Sep 2034 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The Legal Aid Agency
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1H 9AJ
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales, TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Supplier N/A

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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