Darren Isaacs is wrong to say there has been a marked increase in the past six months in the level of bills we are rejecting. The level of rejects has remained relatively constant.

I understand the frustration providers must feel when we reject a bill submitted to us. I share this frustration, as it delays my team getting payments to you and increases their workload. However, providers must help us avoid unnecessary rejects by ensuring that all work is checked before it is submitted to us. I have seen numerous occasions when we have had to reject a bill simply because the claim form has not been signed or dated.

We have recently changed the way we deal with rejects for civil legal aid work. If the bill is rejected because information is missing that the provider would not have known at the time, we will call the provider to try and get this information (unless we require a document to be submitted or amended). If the missing information cannot be provided over the phone, we will deal with the bill as a ‘priority return’.

We have recently put guidance for providers about rejects on our website. I recommend all providers read this guidance, as it includes the top reasons why bills are rejected and specifies the information we require.

The Legal Services Commission has a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure that bills are paid correctly. With the help of all providers we can ensure this is done as quickly as possible.

Helen Riley, director of case management, Legal Services Commission