DSCC References, Custody Records and Attendance Notes

Two numbers appear on almost every police station attendance — the DSCC reference and the custody record number. Recording them correctly keeps firm files, billing, and handover aligned.

Answer-first summary

The Defence Solicitor Call Centre (DSCC) allocates a reference when a police station attendance is instructed through the duty scheme or call centre process. The custody record number identifies the client's detention at a particular station. Both belong in the header of your attendance note and in any billing submission — they are not interchangeable.

What is a DSCC reference?

The DSCC is the central routing point for many police station instructions in England and Wales. When a firm or the scheme instructs cover, a DSCC reference is generated or recorded so the attendance can be tracked, billed, and audited. For duty solicitors and accredited representatives, this reference is the link between the phone instruction and your physical attendance at the custody desk.

Your attendance note should record the DSCC reference exactly as given — including any prefix or format used by the instructing party. If the reference was communicated orally, note who provided it and when. Errors here cause billing rejections and make it harder for the firm to reconcile the file months later.

What is a custody record number?

When a suspect is booked into custody, the custody sergeant opens a custody record. That record has a unique reference for the detention episode — often called the custody record number or CRN. It appears on the custody record itself, on PACE documentation, and in station systems.

The custody record number identifies the period of detention and the station's handling of the client. It is not allocated by the DSCC and is not a substitute for the DSCC reference. A single DSCC instruction may relate to one custody episode; the note should carry both identifiers where both exist.

For more on custody records generally, see the custody record glossary.

Where to record them in your note

Best practice is a dedicated reference block at the top of the attendance note, before disclosure or consultation sections:

• Client name and date of birth
• Police station and date/time of attendance
• DSCC reference (and UFN or firm reference if applicable)
• Custody record number
• Instructing firm and fee earner
• Attendance type (e.g. first attendance, further attendance)

Structured software such as Custody Note prompts for these fields in a fixed order so they are not omitted under time pressure. See the DSCC attendance note workflow page for a field-by-field checklist.

Billing and audit

Legal aid and many private billing systems expect the DSCC reference on police station claims. Missing or incorrect references are a common reason for claim queries. The custody record number supports audit trails — demonstrating which detention episode you attended — and helps when the same client has multiple station visits.

Time recording should still be broken down by activity (travel, waiting, consultation, interview) in line with LAA requirements. References sit alongside time entries, not instead of them. For broader billing context, see attendance notes for legal aid billing.

Common mistakes

• Recording only the DSCC reference and omitting the custody record number
• Transposing digits in either reference
• Using an old DSCC reference from a previous attendance on a return visit
• Leaving references to be added "back at the office" — they are often forgotten

Voluntary interviews and own-firm instructions

Not every attendance goes through the DSCC in the same way. Voluntary attendances and some own-client instructions may use firm references instead of or as well as DSCC numbers. Record whatever reference system the instructing firm uses, and still obtain the custody or voluntary attendance reference from the station where one exists.

Disclaimer: General workflow information for criminal defence professionals in England and Wales. Not legal advice on any case.