Legal Aid Update: Costs Assessment

Kindly written & supplied by Jerry Bull (Managing Director of Atkins Hope, Solicitors in Croydon) & Samantha Little (Partner & Head of the Children Law Team at Russell-Cooke in Kingston) from their talk to the ALC Conference.



Costs assessment guidance for use with 2013 Standard Contract can be found at this website

Also the LAA has set published a document setting out points of principle on costs issues which is very useful to see what is allowed and what is not


2 There are now fewer cases which go to court for assessment of bills as cases will only go to court if the assessable costs are over £2,500 – assessable costs do not include fixed fees; FAS; counsel; experts; disbursements.

3 So a case will only go to court for assessment if your profit costs exceed £2500 and this will only be in circumstances where the FAS/fixed fee scheme does not operate or you have escaped the fixed fee.

4 There is now a 100% enhancement cap in the High Court/Court of Appeal/Supreme Court for all cases started after 1st Feb 2012

5 There is also a 50% enhancement cap in other courts for all cases started after 1st Feb 2012