Why do I need to recalculate a bill if the court has already assessed it?

Even once the court has assessed a bill, errors can and do occur, especially where percentage-based reductions or phased assessments are applied. The final figures may not always accurately reflect the court’s actual intentions or may contain inconsistencies resulting from manual or system-generated miscalculations. Re-calculating the bill ensures that the allowed costs accurately match the decisions made and that nothing has been overlooked. This step is vital for ensuring complete recovery of all reasonable and approved costs.

Is recalculation necessary for electronic bills (E-bills)?

Yes, it is. While E-bills are designed to automate calculations and streamline assessments, they are only as accurate as the data entered into them. If the original bill or subsequent reductions are entered incorrectly, or if percentage reductions are misapplied, the final totals can still be wrong. A manual review and recalculation of the E-bill helps catch these errors and confirm that the amounts allowed reflect what the court assessed.

What happens if I find a mistake in the assessed bill?

If we identify a mistake, whether it’s a numerical miscalculation or a questionable reduction, we’ll review it in context and advise you on your options. Some errors may be corrected informally, while others may justify a formal challenge or appeal to the SCCO. Where appropriate, we can assist with the preparation of appeal submissions, provide commentary on case law or practice points, and support you through the entire appeal process to ensure a fair outcome.

How long does the re-calculation process take?

We understand that timing is often critical following assessment. Our typical turnaround for re-calculation and review is within a few working days of receiving your assessed bill and supporting documents. In urgent cases, or where deadlines are approaching, we can offer a prioritised service to help ensure you don’t miss key filing or appeal windows.

Can you help with the Final Costs Certificate?

Yes, this is a key part of our end-to-end post-assessment support. Once the bill has been assessed and any disputes resolved, we’ll assist in completing the bill summary accurately and preparing the relevant documentation to obtain your Final Costs Certificate. This final step ensures that you can proceed with raising your invoice and bringing the matter to a close with complete confidence in the figures.

Re-calculation of the Bill of Costs

Historically, Cost Officers would recalculate the bill themselves as part of the assessment process. Now, due to increased workloads and the growing complexity of detailed assessments, this step is frequently left to the receiving party. However, with the introduction of electronic bills (E-bills), some of this process has become automated. However, even with automation, errors can still occur, and items may be incorrectly reduced or disallowed.

At A&M Bacon, we provide a specialist re-calculation and post-assessment review service to give you peace of mind that your costs have been correctly assessed and to advise on any next steps, including appeals where justified.

Re-calculation of the Bill of Costs Following Assessment

Why Re-calculate a Bill After Assessment?

The purpose of recalculating the assessed Bill of Costs is to confirm that the figures allowed by the court have been applied correctly and that you are not missing out on recoverable sums due to oversight or administrative errors. Even with E-bills, mistakes can occur, especially when reductions are made on a line-by-line basis or when multiple reductions are made to common items. .

This review also gives you a clear understanding of what was accepted, what was reduced, and whether the reasons given for reduction (if any) are valid. Where appropriate, it can form the basis for a reasoned appeal to the Costs Officer or, in more contentious cases, to a Costs Judge.

What Does the Re-calculation Service Include?

Our post-assessment review service goes beyond simply running the numbers. We provide a full review of the court’s assessment, highlight any discrepancies, and offer strategic advice on the next steps.

This includes:

Re-calculation of the Assessed Sums
Once a bill has been assessed, it’s crucial to verify that the figures applied by the court have been calculated accurately and by their stated allowances. We undertake a line-by-line re-calculation of the assessed bill to ensure that the final sums match the decisions made by the Costs Officer. This is especially important in cases where percentage-based reductions or phased assessments have been applied, as these can sometimes lead to discrepancies in the totals. Our role here is to verify the accuracy of the figures, identify any computational errors or inconsistencies, and ensure that nothing has been overlooked or misapplied in the final calculation, whether on paper or within an electronic bill (E-bill) submission.
Review of Reductions
A key part of our post-assessment service is to analyse any reductions applied by the SCCO and provide context for why those items may have been disallowed or reduced. We compare the reductions against current SCCO guidance, relevant case law, and the principles of reasonableness and proportionality that underpin costs decisions. This helps to determine whether the decisions were justified and whether similar items are consistently being reduced in other matters. Where patterns emerge such as repeated reductions on travel time, file reviews, or attendance notes, we’ll advise accordingly and provide practical insight to help you avoid future disallowances.
Advice on Contentious Points
Not every reduction is straightforward or fair. Some decisions made during the assessment process may be open to challenge due to their inconsistency with established precedent or the specific context of the case. Our team will highlight any contentious or questionable reductions, explain why they may warrant further scrutiny, and provide an informed view on whether they could be successfully challenged. We offer practical, risk-based advice, helping you weigh up whether pursuing further action is likely to be beneficial in terms of time, cost and potential recovery.
Appeal Strategy and Support
Where a reduction appears unreasonable or unsupported by SCCO practice, we can support you in pursuing an appeal. Whether this means submitting a request for reconsideration to the assessing officer or preparing a formal challenge to be reviewed by a Costs Judge, we guide you through the entire process. Our support includes drafting persuasive submissions, assembling supporting evidence or precedents, and advising on deadlines and procedural requirements. We’ll also give you a clear view on the merits of appeal from a commercial perspective, helping you make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
Completion of the Bill Summary
Once you’re satisfied with the outcome of the assessment or have exhausted all appeal options, the next step is to complete the bill summary and request the Final Costs Certificate. We assist with this final administrative step by ensuring the summary is completed accurately, reflects the correct amounts, and is filed promptly. This ensures that you can proceed with issuing your invoice and resolving the matter without delay. If you’re managing multiple matters, we can also help track and process several assessments simultaneously, ensuring your cost recovery remains on schedule and is thoroughly documented.

Why Use a Specialist for Post-Assessment Review?

While it may seem straightforward to rely on automated tools or internal teams to check a bill after assessment, there is significant value in an expert’s eye – particularly when large sums or complex claims are involved.

Using a specialist post-assessment service:

Ensures accuracy: We identify common calculation errors and unjustified reductions.
Supports appeal decisions: You’ll be able to make an informed decision about whether to challenge any part of the assessment.
Improves future recovery: We spot patterns in what’s being reduced and provide guidance on how to improve your recovery rates going forward.
Helps secure your Final Costs Certificate quickly: Our service supports the smooth finalisation of the process.

This review not only protects your recovery on the current matter, it also contributes to long-term gains by informing and improving your drafting practices.

Re-calculating E-Bills: Still Worth Doing?

It’s true that electronic bills (E-bills) now automatically calculate totals based on reductions made by the Costs Officer. However, the automated figures are only as accurate as the input they’re based on and mistakes still happen.

In particular, issues may arise when:

Reductions are made across multiple phases or categories
Narrative explanations are misinterpreted or overlooked
Incorrect assumptions are made about proportionality or time spent
Costs officers apply percentage reductions inconsistently

Even with automation, an experienced human review is essential for full accuracy and informed decision-making.

What Happens After the Review?

Once our team has reviewed and recalculated your bill, we’ll provide you with:

A clear breakdown of what was allowed and reduced
A summary of any miscalculations or inconsistencies
Our view on the merits of pursuing an appeal
Help with completing the bill summary
Support with requesting the Final Costs Certificate

If you are satisfied with the assessment outcome, the final step is to raise your invoice and complete the process. If not, we’ll support you in challenging the assessment as needed.

Why Choose A&M Bacon?

At A&M Bacon, we’re trusted by legal professionals across England and Wales for our meticulous approach to costs recovery and our deep understanding of the Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO) processes. Our team combines technical precision with practical, hands-on support, helping you navigate every stage of the assessment and post-assessment journey with confidence.

By instructing us to review your assessed bill, you benefit from accurate recalculation carried out by experienced specialists who understand the nuances of SCCO decision-making. We provide clear, strategic advice on areas where costs have been reduced and offer guidance on whether a challenge or appeal is likely to be successful.

We also assist with preparing and managing appeals, whether to the assessing officer or the Costs Judge, ensuring you are supported with persuasive, well-prepared submissions. Moreover, our service provides you with peace of mind, knowing that the final outcome reflects the maximum reasonable recovery available under current rules and practices.

In addition to our core service, we offer trend analysis and bespoke training, helping you and your team adapt working practices to improve recovery in future matters. Whether you’re managing a single assessment or handling a high volume of cases, we’re here to support you at every stage.

FAQs: Re-calculation After Assessment

Why do I need to recalculate a bill if the court has already assessed it?

Even once the court has assessed a bill, errors can and do occur, especially where percentage-based reductions or phased assessments are applied. The final figures may not always accurately reflect the court’s actual intentions or may contain inconsistencies resulting from manual or system-generated miscalculations. Re-calculating the bill ensures that the allowed costs accurately match the decisions made and that nothing has been overlooked. This step is vital for ensuring complete recovery of all reasonable and approved costs.
Is recalculation necessary for electronic bills (E-bills)?

Yes, it is. While E-bills are designed to automate calculations and streamline assessments, they are only as accurate as the data entered into them. If the original bill or subsequent reductions are entered incorrectly, or if percentage reductions are misapplied, the final totals can still be wrong. A manual review and recalculation of the E-bill helps catch these errors and confirm that the amounts allowed reflect what the court assessed.
What happens if I find a mistake in the assessed bill?

If we identify a mistake, whether it’s a numerical miscalculation or a questionable reduction, we’ll review it in context and advise you on your options. Some errors may be corrected informally, while others may justify a formal challenge or appeal to the SCCO. Where appropriate, we can assist with the preparation of appeal submissions, provide commentary on case law or practice points, and support you through the entire appeal process to ensure a fair outcome.
How long does the re-calculation process take?

We understand that timing is often critical following assessment. Our typical turnaround for re-calculation and review is within a few working days of receiving your assessed bill and supporting documents. In urgent cases, or where deadlines are approaching, we can offer a prioritised service to help ensure you don’t miss key filing or appeal windows.
Can you help with the Final Costs Certificate?

Yes, this is a key part of our end-to-end post-assessment support. Once the bill has been assessed and any disputes resolved, we’ll assist in completing the bill summary accurately and preparing the relevant documentation to obtain your Final Costs Certificate. This final step ensures that you can proceed with raising your invoice and bring the matter to a close with complete confidence in the figures.