Page 13 - PIC Magazine Issue 24 - Spring-Summer (Digital)

A pleasing start
to 2025 saw a further increase
to the guideline hourly rates (2025 GHRs) and whilst modest, it is good to see increases now seem to be made on an annual basis.
On a more positive note, I felt it worth reminding you that the guideline rates are just that; guidelines. If there are specific elements of your case that requires additional input, skill and/or expertise, you are able to seek to enhance a specific fee earner rate, whether that be throughout the entirety of the bill or for discrete pieces of work. However, do bear in mind we will need to fully justify any enhancement
to the court, to ensure the higher rates are recovered.
Bear in mind, it is easier
to recover enhanced rates the further one goes down the grades of fee earner,
i.e. it is easier to recover an enhancement of a grade
C rate than it is a grade A rate. Do also ensure that you have fully detailed any enhancements to rates sought, again to ensure you are able to recover them.
We will continue to monitor the development of these rate increases but the past two years have now seen increases made, in line with inflation. We are hopeful this will now continue on
an annual basis.
We are always happy to advise with regard to hourly rates and their recovery, so please do feel free to get in touch if you have any queries. Ultimately, transparency is key!
E-files – Keeping It Simple
Following the pandemic back in 2020 (can you believe it’s been five years!?), we have seen a marked increase in firms who wish to present their files in an electronic, rather than paper, format. We see a plethora of different ways in which files are presented to us, so I thought
it might be useful to outline what the SCCO requires, when you elect to file your matter in this way.
The SCCO has a number of requirements it has set out where a
firm wishes to upload their file to the document upload centre (the DUC). Your file will need to be converted to a PDF format to enable acceptance. There are also specific requirements around the naming of these files. Do feel free to contact us for more information on this, should you require it.
Ultimately, the SCCO requires your file to be presented in chronological order. This enables the costs officer to easily locate any attendance notes or documents, when undertaking the assessment.
Many of you will have heard me talking about how it is unlikely that the costs officers will have the time or inclination to go through each and every attendance note, and marry
up all work to each note! However, if there is any doubt or question over the reasonableness of a specific item, the costs officer will look to the file and the supporting attendance note. If they are able to easily locate and review your detailed attendance note, you will stand
a much better chance of recovering that item in full. Reductions tend to arise, in our experience, where the costs officers are unable to locate your attendance note and/or if that note is lacking in detail.
Remember, as a minimum, the SCCO requires copies of all letters and emails sent, attendance notes of routine and longer telephone calls, of meetings and conferences held and in relation to any further preparation work undertaken. The more detailed your note, the more likely reductions will be avoided.
You are able to provide incoming correspondence and documentation, along with copies of the documents prepared (e.g. any applications, witness statements, reports etc), and this can sometimes assist the costs officer. Again, if these are provided in chronological order, this will further assist the costs officer as they will be able to easily navigate to these documents in support of the work undertaken.
Do try to avoid arranging correspondence into parties and in different folders and sub-folders. Sometimes, it can be somewhat subjective as to where a specific attendance note might live, particularly with regard to preparation work. It is much easier for the costs officer to locate a note with a specified date
and they will not appreciate searching through folders and sub-folders for documents or attendance notes.
www.pic.legal Spring & Summer 2025
PARTNERS IN COSTS
A&M Bacon’s New Training Suite
This went live shortly prior to the Christmas break. Presently, we have three specific training sessions on offer, ranging from general Court
of Protection Costs training (which delves deeper into some of the issues raised in this article), issues around post-death costs and, of particular interest to deputies who deal with
the management of P’s compensation, particularly pre-settlement, a session on Litigation Support Costs (where you assist the litigator providing evidence in support of the claim etc) and how time should be recorded
and recovered in these cases.
In addition, for current and existing clients of A&M, we offer a review of your completed assessments and bespoke sessions can be arranged to deal with any issues or trends arising.
We are hoping to add to these sessions as and when further issues arise during the course of this year. Be sure to check out our website www.aandmbacon.co.uk and our Training Suite page.
Well, that’s it for another of my
COP costs round ups. I do hope you have found some of the information contained within this article to be useful and/or of interest.
I often find that, like so many things in life, many issues in relation to costs are not simply black and white and there are so many shades of grey in between. Do feel free to get in touch with myself or my friendly team should you have any queries in relation to this, or any other costs related queries and we will be more than happy to discuss further with you and see how we can help.
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