Reminder for Legal Aid contract holders: February 2026 SaBC submissions are due by 20 March 2026. Includes system updates, validation fixes, new PROH1/PROH2 fee codes, and updated bulkload spreadsheet versions.
For the attention of all Legal Aid contract holders - an update by the LAA
Legal Aid contract holders are reminded that the deadline for submitting February 2026 claims and any historic claims through the Submit a Bulk Claim (SaBC) service is:
20 March 2026
Approximately 20% of expected historic submissions have been received to date. Thanks are extended to those who have already completed their submissions.
While most queries have been resolved, three issues are being treated as a priority:
Error message regarding contract category
Some providers have encountered the message:
“Provider is not contracted for the category of law associated with the Fee Code.”
This has affected a small number of claims. A system update is being developed to address this issue.
Reporting window and Stage Disbursement Claims
The extension of the reporting window — allowing cases concluded up to the 20th of the following month to be included — requires updates to SaBC validation.
This change will ensure that Stage Disbursement Claims can still be submitted where more than three months have passed since:
The case was opened, or
The last claim was made.
Out-of-order contingency claims
As some providers submit contingency claims non-chronologically, validation is being updated to ensure the three-month calculation is applied correctly in such cases.
These updates are being progressed urgently. Providers who have raised specific cases will be contacted once the issues have been resolved.
Updated versions of the bulkload spreadsheet are now available on GOV.UK:
Version 1.40 (Windows)
Version 1.01 (Mac)
Providers should ensure they are working from one of these versions.
The accompanying guidance explains common issues, including the requirement to upload the file generated by the bulkload spreadsheet — not the spreadsheet itself.
The spreadsheet has been updated to include two new Fee Codes:
PROH1
PROH2
These apply to applications granted on or after 22 December 2025.
Where an older spreadsheet version has been used and a change is required, the Fee Code can be amended directly in the exported file. For example:
FEE_CODE=PROH may be updated to FEE_CODE=PROH1 where appropriate.
Development of the SaBC system is ongoing in response to provider feedback:
The data export feature is expected to be available in early March.
The ability to view and amend claims prior to final submission is being developed in collaboration with a provider working group.
Positive feedback has been received from providers who reviewed the published guidance before using the system. The SaBC User Guide, bulkload spreadsheet guidance, and updated FAQs (which continue to reflect common issues) are recommended to help avoid errors and improve submission accuracy.
Providers are encouraged to share information about:
Their monthly submission processes
Typical submission methods
The operational impact of the new service
Feedback can be submitted via the provider feedback form for the new “Submit a Bulk Claim” service.
Click here to convert your old csv files into SaBC ready format.