The Legal Aid Agency has confirmed that the new Submit a Bulk Claim (SaBC) portal will go live on 4th February 2026, replacing the old CWA system that has been unavailable since the cyber-attack in May 2025.
This represents a significant change to how you submit your civil legal aid billing, and there are important new requirements you need to be aware of.
Key Dates
Portal Go Live: 4th February 2026
First Submission Deadline: 17th February 2026 (for January 2026 claims)
Submission Window: 1st - 20th of each month (aim for early in the month to allow time for issue resolution)
Critical Changes You Need to Know About
1. Fee Codes are Now Mandatory
The biggest change is that ALL claims must include fee codes. This is a new mandatory field that did not exist in the old CWA system.
Every claim line must have the appropriate fee code
Missing fee codes will cause your entire submission to be rejected
This applies to ALL work from May 2025 onwards, including historical unbilled cases
What this means for you: Access Legal Fusion Release 25.4 now automatically derives the required fee codes when you generate your export file for submission to the LAA. This happens at the point of creating the XML/CSV export file, based on your existing Legal Aid case information.
2. Provider ID is Now Mandatory
A new Provider ID field must be included in all submissions.
This field is automatically included in your export files from Release 25.4
The Provider ID is derived from your configured LAA contract information
3. No Online Editing After Upload
Unlike the old CWA system, you cannot edit or amend claims once they have been uploaded to SaBC.
The old system allowed you to make corrections to individual claims after upload
SaBC does NOT have this functionality
If there is an error, you must correct your source data in Legal Fusion and re-export the entire submission file
What this means for you: You must ensure your data is complete and accurate in Legal Fusion BEFORE you export and upload. Double-check everything!
4. Stricter Validation
SaBC performs comprehensive validation checks when you upload your file:
Missing or incorrect information will cause the entire submission to be rejected
The system validates BEFORE calculating costs
Errors must be fixed in Legal Fusion, then the file must be re-exported and re-uploaded
What this means for you: Allow extra time for your first few submissions while you get used to the new system requirements.
What Legal Fusion Release 25.4 Does For You
Automatic Fee Code Derivation
Legal Fusion now automatically derives and includes the required fee codes when you generate your export file for submission. This automation:
Eliminates the need to manually add fee codes to your cases
Works for all civil legal aid claim categories (Legal Help, Family, Immigration & Asylum, Mental Health, Mediation)
Applies to both new claims and historical cases from May 2025 onwards
Calculates the correct fee code based on your Matter Type 1, Matter Type 2, Stage/Level, and Outcome codes
The fee codes are automatically included in your XML/CSV export file at the point of generation - no additional steps required from you.
What You Need to Do NOW
Step 1: Ensure Your Case Data is Complete
Before exporting for submission, verify that all mandatory fields are populated on your matters:
Matter Type 1 code
Matter Type 2 code
Stage Reached / Level codes
Outcome codes
LAA Contract information
Procurement Area
Access Point
These fields are required for the system to automatically derive the correct fee codes.
Step 2: Generate Your Export File
When you are ready to submit your claims:
Use the standard Legal Fusion process to create your submission
From the Fee Earner Desktop, Legal Aid tab, access the Civil Submission functionality
Click "Create Submission" to generate your XML file
The system will automatically derive and include all required fee codes
The Provider ID will also be automatically included
Step 3: Upload to SaBC Portal
Navigate to the LAA SaBC portal via the SILAS website
Upload your XML/CSV file generated from Legal Fusion
Review any validation messages carefully
If rejected, fix the source data in Legal Fusion and re-export (do not try to edit the XML file directly)
Fee Code Requirements by Category
Most categories: Single fee code per claim
Family, Immigration & Asylum, Mediation, Mental Health: May require multiple fee codes
Fee codes automatically match your Matter Type 1, Matter Type 2, Case/Stage Level, and Outcome codes
The LAA has published comprehensive guidance including:
172-page Guidance for SaBC Claims document
Fee code mapping spreadsheets
Category-specific guidance
All available at: Submit a Bulk Claim (SaBC) - GOV.UK
Common Issues to Avoid
❌ Do not export your XML without ensuring all mandatory matter fields are complete
❌ Do not assume the LAA will ignore validation errors - they will cause rejection
❌ Do not try to manually edit the XML file after export - re-run the export process from Legal Fusion
❌Do not leave submissions until the last minute - allow time for troubleshooting
✅ Do ensure all Matter Type codes, Outcome codes, and Stage codes are correctly populated before export
✅ Do verify all mandatory fields are complete before generating your export
✅ Do submit early in the month to allow time for corrections if needed
✅ Do keep backups of your case data before making bulk changes
Need Help?
For Legal Fusion software questions:
Contact the Access Legal Fusion support team - we are here to help you through this transition.
For LAA policy questions:
Email: [email protected]
Useful Resources:
LAA Official Guidance: Submit a Bulk Claim (SaBC) - GOV.UK
SaBC User Guide (available on GOV.UK)
Fee Code Mapping Documents (available on GOV.UK)
Timeline Summary
Now - 3rd February:
Upgrade to Legal Fusion Release 25.4 (contact support to arrange)
Review your matter data for completeness
Familiarize yourself with the new LAA requirements
Review the LAA guidance documentation
Prepare your January 2026 billing data
4th February:
SaBC portal goes live
Begin submitting through the new system using Legal Fusion Release 25.4
By 17th February:
Submit your January 2026 claims (deadline for first submission)
Final Reminder
This is a significant change from the old system. The new portal is stricter and requires complete, accurate data BEFORE upload. Legal Fusion Release 25.4 automates the fee code derivation for you, but you must ensure your underlying case data is correct and complete.
Take the time now to:
Upgrade to Release 25.4 (contact support if you have not already)
Review your case data for completeness
Review the LAA guidance
Plan extra time for your first few submissions
We understand this represents a change to your workflow, particularly with the backlog from May 2025 onwards. Legal Fusion automated fee code derivation eliminates the manual burden, and our support team is ready to assist you through this transition.
Do not wait until 4th February to start preparing - upgrade and review your data now to ensure a smooth transition.
For installation and upgrade support, please contact:
Access Legal Fusion Support Team