Accreditation process

The Police Station Representative Accreditation Scheme (PSRAS) is the framework through which individuals become accredited to provide legal advice at police stations on a legally aided basis in England and Wales. The scheme is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The Legal Aid Agency maintains the register of accredited representatives.

PSRAS is an accreditation framework—it assesses competence. It is not a single training course but a process that typically includes portfolio submission, a Critical Incidents Test (CIT), and a written examination. Assessment is administered by SRA-authorised bodies (such as Cardiff Centre for Professional Legal Studies and Datalaw).

Candidates usually work under supervision while building experience and completing the required components. These typically include: a portfolio demonstrating competence; the Critical Incidents Test (a practical scenario-based assessment); and a written examination. Solicitors may have alternative routes (e.g. through the Law Society's Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme).

Requirements and formats can change. You must check the current rules and guidance published by the SRA and the assessment organisations.

Before and during the accreditation process, candidates are typically supervised by solicitors or other authorised persons. Supervisors support development and may sign off on portfolio or other elements. Accreditation must be obtained through the recognised scheme and appropriate supervision—not through this or any other standalone training platform.