Dear colleagues,
As many of you will know, the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) system for paying counsel crashed on 20 December 2018. As a result a high volume of invoices were not paid on time to those barristers whose invoices were being processed. We have spoken to the CPS about this incident and have been assured that everything is being done as a matter of urgency to rectify the situation. The CPS has apologised for the system failure.
As of 8 January 2019, the CPS has assured the Bar Council that 3,600 invoices with a value of £2.9million have now been paid since the system failure. However, invoices dated before 20 December 2018 when the system crashed, remain outstanding. As a result, approximately 100 payments to counsel will be paid more than 30 days after the invoice date.
Given the seriousness of delayed payments for barristers, we have received an assurance from the CPS that a manual process has begun to pay these invoices as quickly as possible. We have been informed that all new invoices dated after 20 December 2018 are being processed as normal.
We have urged the CPS to inform both the Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) as soon as possible should any problems arise with the payment of fees in the future.
The Bar Council will remain in contact with the CPS, CBA and Circuit Leaders on this matter and we will update you on any further issues should they arise.
Richard Atkins QC
Chair of the Bar
