Costs Lawyers and Costs Draftsmen in England & Wales

SPH Costs provides specialist legal costs support to solicitors, insurers, local authorities, housing associations, Legal Aid firms and other professional clients throughout England & Wales.

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Our Costs Lawyers and Law Costs Draftsmen act across paying party and receiving party work, from Bills of Costs, Points of Dispute and costs budgeting through to negotiation and Detailed Assessment. We also provide specialist Legal Aid, CCMS, High Cost Case Plan and Court of Protection costs services.

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Whether you need to challenge a costs claim, maximise recovery, manage costs during proceedings or outsource specialist costs work, we can provide support at the appropriate stage.

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Need urgent costs assistance? Call 01772 435550, email: egb@sphcosts.com or upload your file.

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Choose the Costs Support You Need

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Challenge a Bill of Costs

For paying parties facing a Bill of Costs that appears excessive, disproportionate or otherwise open to challenge. We can review the claim, advise on strategy and deal with the costs dispute through negotiation and Detailed Assessment where required.

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Draft Points of Dispute

Specialist paying-party Points of Dispute addressing the issues arising from the Bill and supporting papers. Our standard turnaround is 7 days, with same-day assistance available where a deadline is imminent.

We can also continue with negotiations and Detailed Assessment proceedings through to conclusion.

 

Detailed Assessment of Costs

Specialist representation and support in contested Detailed Assessment proceedings, including review of the Bill, Points of Dispute, negotiations, provisional assessment and contested assessment.

Our Costs Lawyers can, where appropriate, go on the court record and conduct the costs proceedings on behalf of the paying party.

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Prepare a Bill of Costs

For receiving parties seeking accurate preparation of a Bill of Costs and effective recovery of their costs.

We provide specialist drafting and ongoing support where the Bill is challenged, including negotiations and Detailed Assessment.

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Costs Budgeting & Precedent H

Specialist assistance with costs budgets, Precedent H and costs management during litigation.

Early costs input can help ensure that the budget properly reflects the anticipated work and provides a sound basis for managing recoverability as proceedings develop.

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Paying Party Costs

We act for paying parties throughout England & Wales, from the initial review of a Bill of Costs through Points of Dispute, negotiation and Detailed Assessment.

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Local Authorities & Housing Associations

Specialist paying-party costs support for local authorities, housing associations, registered providers and other public bodies, including recurring and portfolio costs work.

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Legal Aid Costs Draftsman Services

Our Legal Aid Costs Draftsmen and Costs Lawyers assist firms with Legal Aid costs recovery and outsourced costs work, including CCMS billing, High Cost Case Plans, Escape Fee claims, LAA queries and Legal Aid Bills of Costs.

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CCMS Billing & Legal Aid Costs

Specialist CCMS billing and Legal Aid costs recovery support for firms seeking to outsource the administrative and technical work involved in preparing and progressing claims.

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High Cost Case Plans

Specialist preparation and ongoing management of Legal Aid High Cost Case Plans, including CCFS and hourly-rate case plans, amendments, LAA correspondence and support through to final billing.

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Court of Protection Costs

Specialist Court of Protection costs support, including the preparation of Bills of Costs and General Management Costs work.

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Specialist Costs Lawyers & Law Costs Draftsmen

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Legal costs work can involve much more than preparing a document at the end of litigation. Costs decisions made during proceedings can affect recoverability later, while contested costs claims can require detailed consideration of proportionality, hourly rates, delegation, duplication, procedural compliance and the reasonableness of the work claimed.

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SPH Costs provides access to both experienced Law Costs Draftsmen and regulated Costs Lawyers, allowing the level of specialist involvement to reflect the work required. We can assist with:

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• Bills of Costs

• Points of Dispute and Replies

• costs negotiations

• Detailed Assessment proceedings

• costs budgeting and Precedent H

• paying party and receiving party costs

• Legal Aid and CCMS billing

• High Cost Case Plans

• Court of Protection costs

 

Our work is provided throughout England & Wales.

 

Paying Party & Receiving Party Costs

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SPH Costs acts on both sides of costs disputes.

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Paying Parties

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Where a Bill of Costs has been served, we can review the claim, identify appropriate challenges, prepare Points of Dispute and deal with negotiations and Detailed Assessment where required. Our paying-party work includes instructions from solicitors, insurers, local authorities, housing associations and other organisations facing a costs liability.

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Receiving Parties

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Where costs are recoverable, we prepare Bills of Costs and assist with the recovery process, including negotiations and Detailed Assessment where the claim is disputed.

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Costs Lawyer or Law Costs Draftsman?

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Costs Lawyers and Law Costs Draftsmen both provide specialist legal costs expertise, but the appropriate involvement will depend on the nature of the work and the complexity of the costs issue. A Law Costs Draftsman may undertake work including the preparation of Bills of Costs, Points of Dispute and Replies and costs negotiations. A regulated Costs Lawyer can provide additional specialist legal input in complex or contested costs matters and, where appropriate, representation in costs proceedings. SPH Costs has both Costs Lawyers and experienced Law Costs Draftsmen, allowing us to allocate work according to the requirements of the matter rather than forcing every instruction into the same service model.

 

Read our Costs Lawyer vs Law Costs Draftsman guide

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When Should You Involve a Costs Specialist?

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Specialist costs input can be valuable where:

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• a Bill of Costs has been served and requires urgent review

• Points of Dispute or Replies are required

• costs are substantial or likely to be contested

• Detailed Assessment proceedings are anticipated or underway

• proportionality or hourly rates are disputed

• a costs budget or Precedent H is required

• a Legal Aid claim needs to be prepared or progressed through CCMS

• a matter requires a High Cost Case Plan

• Court of Protection costs need to be prepared or assessed

• your firm wants to outsource some or all of its costs work

 

Early involvement can also make it easier to identify the information required and establish the appropriate costs strategy before deadlines or disputes become more difficult to manage.

 

Why Instruct SPH Costs?

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SPH Costs has provided specialist legal costs services since 1995.  We act throughout England & Wales and support firms and professional clients across both conventional inter partes costs and specialist areas including Legal Aid and Court of Protection work. Our service combines:

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• experienced Law Costs Draftsmen and regulated Costs Lawyers

• paying party and receiving party expertise

• support from initial drafting through negotiation and assessment

• specialist Legal Aid, CCMS and HCCP capability

• Court of Protection costs expertise

• urgent assistance where costs deadlines require it

• nationwide service

 

The objective is straightforward: provide the specialist costs input appropriate to the matter and allow the solicitor or client to concentrate on the underlying work.

 

Legal Costs Guides & Resources

 

Guideline Hourly Rates 2026

Current guidance on Guideline Hourly Rates and their relevance to costs claims and Detailed Assessment.

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Intermediate Track Costs Tables

A practical reference for Intermediate Track fixed recoverable costs and complexity bands.

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Indemnity Costs & Conduct Arguments

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Court of Protection Bills & Assessment Issues

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Common Costs Problems

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Our resource centre covering recurring problems arising in costs recovery, Legal Aid billing, Bills of Costs, Points of Dispute and Detailed Assessment.

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Instruct SPH Costs

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If you have a Bill of Costs, costs dispute, Legal Aid claim, costs budget or other costs issue requiring specialist input, speak directly with our team. 

 

Telephone: 01772 435550

Email: egb@sphcosts.com

Upload Your File

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Do you act for both paying and receiving parties?

Yes. SPH Costs acts for both paying and receiving parties. Our work includes Bills of Costs, Points of Dispute, negotiation, costs advice and Detailed Assessment proceedings.

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Are your Costs Lawyers regulated?

Yes. SPH Costs has Costs Lawyers regulated by the Costs Lawyers Standards Board.

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Do you undertake Legal Aid costs work?

Yes. We provide specialist Legal Aid costs services including CCMS billing, High Cost Case Plans, Escape Fee claims, Legal Aid Bills of Costs and assistance with LAA queries.

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Do you deal with Court of Protection costs?

Yes. We provide specialist Court of Protection costs support, including Bills of Costs and General Management Costs work.

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Can you help with costs budgeting?

Yes. SPH Costs provides specialist costs budgeting support, including Precedent H and costs management work during proceedings.

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Do you act throughout England & Wales?

Yes. SPH Costs provides legal costs services to solicitors, insurers, public bodies and other professional clients throughout England & Wales.