Amendments to the Practice Direction relating to Form and Content of the Bill of Costs

You will, no doubt, be aware of the recent changes to the costs management rules at CPR 3.12, 3.13 and PD 3E. But did you know that some amendments to the CPR PD 47 at paragraphs 5.8(8) and (9) had also been introduced, relating to the form and content of the bill of costs?

Those paragraphs state:

“(8) Where a costs management order has been made, the costs are to be assessed on the standard basis and the receiving party’s budget has been agreed by the paying party or approved by the court, the bill must be divided into separate parts so as to distinguish between the costs claimed for each phase of the last approved or agreed budget, and within each such part the bill must distinguish between the costs shown as incurred in the last agreed or approved budget and the costs shown as estimated.”

and

“(9) Where a costs management order has been made and the receiving party’s budget has been agreed by the paying party or approved by the court, (a) the costs of initially completing Precedent H and (b) the other costs of the budgeting and costs management process must be set out in separate parts.”

So, if your current costs draftsman is not aware that it is now a requirement to serve a phased bill as well as a summary of the phased breakdown in the form of Precedent Q, or that separate parts must be included to show the various elements of completing the costs management process, perhaps it’s time to give us a call…