Legal Costs Services

Our work spans Legal Aid, Court of Protection, and inter partes costs disputes across England & Wales, acting for both receiving and paying parties in complex and high-value matters.

 

Public & Legal Aid Costs

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Independent legal costs support for solicitors and public authorities. Our services are delivered by specialist costs lawyers and law costs draftsmen, supporting solicitors across England & Wales in relation to detailed assessment, costs budgeting, disputes, and specialist costs regimes.​

Our work focuses on reducing disputes, ensuring compliance, and bringing certainty to legal costs - particularly where public funds are involved.

 

Our Public & Legal Aid Services Include:

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• Bills of costs drafting and review

• Points of Dispute and Replies

• Legal Aid Agency claims and compliance

• Cost forecasting and proportionality advice

• Negotiation and early resolution of costs

• Support in detailed assessment proceedings​

 

We work closely with solicitors, local authorities, and police authorities to resolve costs efficiently and in accordance with applicable guidance and regulations. Local authority paying party costs are assessed in accordance with the CPR.

Approach: Transparent, compliant, and outcome-focused.

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We provide specialist support with Legal Aid costs drafting, CCMS claims and assessment strategy, including rejected bills, escape fee claims, and high-value matters.

 

“Our firm has been using SPH costing services to prepare all our legal aid final bills and high cost case plans for around the last 3 years… we have received draft bills for approval within 21 days and often much quicker, which has improved the efficiency with which we are able to bill and cost our files and meant that we are getting the files paid and money received by the firm sooner… Ultimately, we use SPH because they almost feel like an extension of the firm.” — Legal Aid Solicitor

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​Court of Protection Costs

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Specialist Court of Protection costs services delivered with independence and care.

Court of Protection matters require a careful, proportionate approach to costs. We act as independent specialists, supporting solicitors in ensuring that costs are

reasonable, recoverable, and capable of withstanding scrutiny.

Our focus is on compliance, proportionality, and early resolution wherever possible.

Our Court of Protection Services Include:

• General management and property & affairs costs

• Bills of costs drafting and review

• Proportionality assessments and advice

• Detailed assessment support

• SCCO-aligned costing

• Costs strategy and compliance guidance​

 

We understand the heightened scrutiny applied in Court of Protection matters and work to ensure costs are presented clearly, transparently, and defensibly.

Approach: Proportionate, compliant, and court-respectful. We advise on a range of Court of Protection costs issues, including general management costs in the Court of Protection, assessments and related applications.

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“I regularly use SPH costing for my Court of Protection files. I receive a most professional and efficient service… All the staff are most helpful and a pleasure to speak to. I would highly recommend their services.”  — Court of Protection Deputy

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Personal Injury Costs

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Experienced legal costs support for personal injury matters.

We provide costs drafting, negotiation, and advisory services across a wide range of personal injury cases. Our approach is focused on achieving fair and

proportionate outcomes while reducing unnecessary disputes and delays.

 

We also provide costs budgeting and estimating services for solicitors and litigants across England and Wales, acting in a wide range of civil disputes.

Our work includes drafting and reviewing Precedent H budgets, advising on costs management hearings, and supporting clients through detailed assessment where budgeting issues arise.  This includes acting for defendants and insurers in paying party costs disputes involving local authorities and other public bodies.

 

We support both receiving and paying party work, maintaining our independent and outcome-driven position.

Our Personal Injury Services Include:

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• Bills of costs drafting

• Points of Dispute and Replies

• Costs negotiation and settlement

• Cost forecasting and strategy advice

• Detailed assessment support

 

Our aim is to resolve costs efficiently and proportionately, helping matters conclude without unnecessary escalation.

Approach: Practical, balanced, and outcome-focused.

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“I have used SPH Costing Services… SPH are pro-active, often making suggestions beyond their instruction when preparing budgets… They negotiate very well… It is a pleasure doing business with SPH.” — Personal Injury Solicitor

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HOW WE DELIVER OUR SERVICES

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All services are provided by qualified and experienced legal costs professionals and delivered on:

• Hourly or capped-hourly basis

• Clearly scoped work

• Transparent forecasting and communication​

 

This ensures clients have certainty, control, and confidence throughout the costing process.

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“We have used SPH on professional negligence and commercial litigation matters since 2005… SPH’s Andrew Armson… has represented us at trial for detailed costs submissions… SPH are a safe harbour for costs issues.”— Commercial Solicitor