Court of Protection Costs: SCCO Introduces Document Upload Centre (DUC) Guidance – April 2026

Key Takeaways

• SCCO introduces Document Upload Centre for supporting papers

• Bill of costs must still be issued via CE-File

• DUC bundles must be PDF and chronological

• One bundle preferred where possible

The Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO) has issued revised guidance concerning the filing of supporting papers in Court of Protection bills of costs. The new guidance introduces the Document Upload Centre (DUC) as a method for submitting supporting documentation electronically when lodging Court of Protection bills for assessment.

The updated SCCO guidance was issued on 16 March 2026 and takes effect from 20 April 2026. For costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen preparing Court of Protection bills, the guidance clarifies how supporting papers should be filed, how bundles should be structured, and when documentation should be uploaded. This article explains the SCCO Document Upload Centre (DUC) process and the practical implications for practitioners preparing Court of Protection costs bills.

SCCO Court of Protection Bills – Quick Guidance Summary

The key points from the SCCO guidance are:

• Supporting papers may now be uploaded electronically using the Document Upload Centre (DUC)

• The bill of costs itself must still be filed via CE-File

• Supporting papers should normally be uploaded in one bundle where possible

• Documents must be in chronological order

• Files must be in PDF format

• Bundles should contain clear headings and indexing

These requirements apply to supporting documentation for Court of Protection costs assessments conducted by the SCCO.

What Is the SCCO Document Upload Centre (DUC)?

The Document Upload Centre (DUC) is an electronic portal that allows practitioners to upload supporting papers relating to Court of Protection bills of costs. The system is intended to assist the Senior Courts Costs Office in reviewing documentation efficiently during costs assessment. It is important to note that the DUC is only used for supporting papers. The following documents must still be issued through CE-File in the usual way:

• the bill of costs

• the N258B request for detailed assessment

• the court order authorising the bill to be assessed

Once the bill has been issued, supporting documentation can then be uploaded to the SCCO Document Upload Centre. Access to the DUC is obtained by contacting the SCCO.

When Should Supporting Papers Be Uploaded?

The SCCO guidance distinguishes between existing cases and new Court of Protection matters. Existing SCCO cases Where the matter already has an SCCO reference number, supporting papers should be uploaded to the DUC at the same time the bill is lodged for issue via CE-File. New Court of Protection bills where the matter has not yet been allocated an SCCO reference number, supporting papers should be uploaded after the bill has been accepted and the reference number issued. For example: SC-2025-COP-001234.

Confirming the Filing Method on CE-File when submitting a bill through CE-File, practitioners must confirm how supporting papers will be filed. This should be included within the “filing comments” section of the filing information page. Typical examples include:

• “Supporting papers to follow via DUC”

• “Supporting papers to be filed by post”

If the intended method of filing is not confirmed, the filing may be rejected.

Required Format for SCCO DUC Uploads

Supporting papers uploaded to the Document Upload Centre must comply with specific format requirements. PDF format All files must be uploaded in PDF format. File naming conventions, file names should include:

• the SCCO case reference

• the protected party’s surname It is also helpful to identify the type of bill or period covered, for example:

• General Management costs

• statutory will application

• property purchase or sale

• gift application

Bundle Structure for Supporting Papers

The SCCO guidance indicates that one bundle is preferred where possible. Where multiple files are uploaded, each should be clearly labelled so that the contents can be easily identified by the Costs Officer.

For example:

SC-2025-COP-001234 – File 1 – Jan-March

SC-2025-COP-001234 - File 2 – April-June

Supporting papers should not be uploaded as multiple individual files containing single documents.

Chronological Order of Documents

All documents within the bundle should be organised in chronological order from the oldest to the newest. This assists the SCCO in locating the relevant documentation when reviewing the bill.

Key Documents That Should Appear at the Start of the Bundle

The SCCO guidance recommends that certain documents should appear at the beginning of the bundle or within a clearly labelled section. These include:

• OPG102 and OPG105 forms

• the client care letter

• disbursement invoices including counsel’s fees where applicable

File Notes, Emails and Attendance Notes should contain clear headings showing:

• the date

• the fee earner

• the time claimed

• the parties involved in the communication

This assists the Costs Officer in cross-referencing documents with entries within the bill of costs.

Indexing and Organisation of Supporting Papers to assist the SCCO in reviewing documentation efficiently, the bundle should ideally include:

• an index or bookmarks

• clear document descriptions

• dates corresponding with the bill entries Where possible, duplicate documents or repeated email chains should be avoided.

Physical Filing of Court of Protection Supporting Papers The SCCO guidance confirms that paper filing remains available. Where practitioners choose to file supporting papers physically, documents should be sent to the SCCO as soon as possible after receiving the CE-File acceptance notification, and in any event within 28 days. Where multiple bundles or boxes are filed, each should be clearly labelled to indicate:

• the contents

• the chronological order

Practical Implications for Costs Draftsmen

Although the revised SCCO guidance primarily concerns document filing, it reinforces the importance of clear and properly structured supporting papers. For costs draftsmen preparing Court of Protection bills, the guidance highlights several practical points:

• supporting papers should correspond clearly with the bill entries

• bundles should be clearly indexed and organised

• documents should appear in chronological order

• duplicate documentation should be avoided Well-organised supporting papers assist the SCCO in reviewing the bill and reduce the risk of delay during assessment.

Court of Protection Costs Drafting Court of Protection costs are assessed by the Senior Courts Costs Office under a distinct procedural framework. Practitioners preparing these bills must ensure that both the bill of costs and supporting documentation comply with SCCO practice. Further guidance on the assessment process can be found here: General Management Costs | Court of Protection & SCCO Assessment

Our work includes:

• preparation of bills of costs

• detailed assessment proceedings

• Court of Protection costs drafting

Learn more about our specialist services here: Costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen

Summary

The SCCO has issued updated guidance introducing the Document Upload Centre (DUC) for the electronic submission of supporting papers in Court of Protection costs bills. While the bill itself must still be filed through CE-File, the DUC provides a structured method for uploading documentation used in support of the bill.

The guidance emphasises the importance of:

• correctly formatted PDF bundles

• clear file naming conventions

• chronological document order

• indexed supporting papers

For costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen preparing Court of Protection bills, compliance with these requirements will assist the SCCO in reviewing documentation efficiently and reduce the risk of delay during assessment.