On 4 August 2026, the Legal Aid Agency invited tenders for contracts to deliver legal aid work in the inquests category of law under the 2024 Standard Civil Contract. The agency said the move supports the Public Office (Accountability) Bill and described it as one of the biggest expansions of legal aid provision in over a decade, creating opportunities for providers to support bereaved families through the inquest process.

The procurement was launched before Royal Assent so enough providers would be ready once the legislation commences. The agency said the timing of service launch depends on the Parliamentary timetable and agreement of a formal commencement date. The contract was set to end on 30 June 2028, in line with the wider 2024 Standard Civil Contract, subject to rights of early termination and the agency's right to extend it by up to 2 months.

The application period was planned to stay open until on or around 31 March 2027. Tenders submitted by 17:00 on 4 September 2026 were to be assessed for contracts starting at service launch if they passed verification. The agency said it would later change the General Rules to confirm providers must have at least a part-time presence.