Privacy notice
The ‘Apply for criminal legal aid’ service is provided by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), part of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
This privacy notice covers how this service collects personal data from providers who are submitting information on behalf of their clients.
For details of how the Legal Aid Agency collects and manages the personal data submitted within the application, check the Legal Aid Agency privacy notice.
What data we collect
We collect:
- your login details and office account number for legal aid services provided by the LAA
- your Internet Protocol (IP) address
- files called cookies to save your current progress on your device and to track inactivity periods
Our legal basis for processing your data
The legal basis for processing personal data in relation to site security is our legitimate interests, and the legitimate interests of our users, in ensuring the security and integrity of this service.
What we do with your data
No information that you provide will be shared outside the MoJ, other than with MoJ IT providers that provide services supporting the running of this service.
We will not:
- sell or rent data to third parties
- share data with third parties for marketing purposes
How long we keep your data
We will only retain your data for as long as it is needed for the purposes set out on this page.
We will retain long term summary logs of interactions with the service, but these logs are fully anonymous.
This is managed in line with the Ministry of Justice Headquarters Record retention and disposition schedules.
Where your data is processed and stored
We design, build and run our systems to make sure that your data is as safe as possible at all stages, both while it’s processed and when it’s stored. All personal data is processed in the European Economic Area.
How we protect your data and keep it secure
We are committed to doing all that we can to keep your data secure. We have set up systems and processes to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure of your data - for example, we protect your data using varying levels of encryption.
Contact us or make a complaint
Contact us by email at online-support@justice.gov.uk if you:
- have a question about anything in this privacy notice
- think that your personal data has been misused or mishandled
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
You can also contact our DPO:
Data Protection Officer
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
The DPO leads on all aspects of data protection for the MoJ.
Information Commissioner
When we ask you for information, we will comply with the law. If you consider that your information has been handled incorrectly, you can contact the Information Commissioner for independent advice about data protection:
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Textphone: 01625 545860
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF
Changes to this policy
We may change this privacy notice. In that case, the ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change. Any changes to this privacy notice will apply to you and your data immediately.
Last updated 04 August 2025