We hold the legal services regulators to account for their performance, this is key to delivering public confidence in legal services and is a core statutory function. Through it, we drive improvements in the regulators’ performance and encourage them to be well-led organisations who strive to be more effective and efficient.
Regulatory performance assessment framework
We monitor, review and assess regulators under our regulatory performance assessment framework to ensure they meet the minimum expected standard of performance across the regulatory performance standards. More detail about the framework, including process documents, is available on the regulatory performance assessment framework.
Regulatory performance reports
When we undertake a review of regulatory performance, or a thematic review, we publish a report on our findings. These reports are available on the regulatory performance assessments reports.
Further information
For further information, please contact Tom Peplow.
Regulatory performance assessment process
Current framework
Our regulatory performance framework is proportionate, risk-based and evidence-based.
Through it, we determine whether the regulator has met the minimum expected standard of performance across the five regulatory performance standards:
- Regulatory Approach
- Authorisation
- Supervision
- Enforcement
- Well-led: Governance and Leadership
In order to assure ourselves of performance, we assess a range of evidence sources including a performance management dataset that the regulators report to us, stakeholder feedback and publicly available documentation such as Board papers and minutes. If we are unable to assure ourselves of performance through an assessment of available evidence, or we have reason to be concerned about the regulator’s performance, we may undertake a review of their performance against one or all of the standards.
The following documents detail how we assess performance under the framework:
The current framework was published in December 2017 and is currently being implemented. Transitional reviews will be performed over an approximately 18 month period from April 2018. With the revised framework fully implemented once these reviews have been completed.
Development of the current framework
In 2017 we reviewed the framework and consulted on a revised framework. The revised framework builds on our previous work and benefits from the learning we have gained from reviewing other processes and speaking with stakeholders and interested parties.
We reviewed our approach to ensure it:
- provided sufficient assurance about how the regulators are performing
- operated in a risk-based, proportionate and targeted way
- clearly linked to the regulatory objectives and the better regulation principles
Further information on how we developed our current regulatory performance framework can be found in the closed consultations section of our website and the related decision document.
The previous framework
Our previous approach to assuring ourselves, the public, consumers, the professions and others about the performance of the regulators was developed in 2011. We used this approach when carrying out regulatory standards exercises in 2012/13, 2015 and 2016, and when we sought an update on regulatory performance action plans in 2017. Information about how the process was developed can be found in our 2011 discussion paper and the related decision document.
Further information
For further information, please contact Tom Peplow.
Regulatory performance reports
We hold the legal services regulators to account for their performance through the operation of our regulatory performance assessment framework.
Where we undertake a review of performance, we will collate and analyse the information generated through the review. This will form the basis of a report providing an assessment of performance. The report will highlight areas where a regulator’s performance has met or has not met the standard(s). Reports will not routinely include all data or evidence gathered on which our assessment is based.
We may also from time to time publish a thematic report which highlights the general learning and good practice we have identified across our regulatory performance work.
Performance assessment reports and thematic reports will be published on this page.
Transitional assessment report and regulator action plans
In January 2019 we published our transitional assessment of each legal services regulatory body against the LSB’s revised regulatory performance standards. The report included action plans for each regulatory body for any outcome(s) which are not yet met. The report and action plans are available below.
Regulatory performance transitional assessment report (pdf) (January 2019)
Updated performance assessments
In August 2019 we published updated performance assessments for the regulatory bodies following a review of their progress against outstanding required outcomes. A statement on this progress review is available below.
Regulatory performance update – six months on (August 2019)
Current performance assessment
Under the revised regulatory performance framework the regulators performance is kept under ongoing review. The regulators’ current performance against the 5 standards and 26 underpinning outcomes is available below.
:
Council for Licensed Conveyancers
:
Cost Lawyers Standards Board
:
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
:
Intellectual Property Regulation Board
:
Solicitors Regulation Authority
2015/16 Regulatory Standards reports and action plans
In May 2016 we published our Regulatory Standards Thematic report and the individual performance reports for each of the regulators. We then reported in June 2017 on the progress made by each regulator against their action plans. Overall, significant progress had been made by the regulators in implementing the improvements set out in their action plans.
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Regulatory Standards Thematic Report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Bar Standards Board
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
CILEx Regulation
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Council for Licensed Conveyancers
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Cost Lawyers Standards Board
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Intellectual Property Regulation Board
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Faculty Office
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
Regulatory Standards reports (May 2016):
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Action plans:
Action plan
Progress report (July 2017):
Progress report
2012/13 Regulatory Standards reports and 2014/15 update report
In these reports we reported on the regulators’ progress against the regulatory standards since their first self-assessments were completed in 2012/13 .The reports are available in the table below.
Regulatory Standards reports (2012/13):
Smaller regulators’ report (Cost Lawyers Standards Board, ILEX Professional Standards (now CILEx Regulation), Intellectual Property Regulation Board, Council for Licensed Conveyancers and Faculty Office)
Regulatory Standards reports (2012/13):
Bar Standards Board
Update report (2014/15):
Update Report
Regulatory Standards reports (2012/13):
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Further information
For further information, please contact Tom Peplow
