Guideline Hourly Rates 2024- An Update

It was announced by Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos in December 2023 that the 2021 guideline hourly rates would be uplifted from 1st January 2024. This came following the recommendations of the Civil Justice Council Costs Review, published in May 2023. The new rates are now uplifted for inflation annually based on the Services Producer Price Index.

The New Guideline Hourly Rates 2024

• Grade A (Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years’ experience): Rates range from £272 in National Band 2 to £546 in London 1.
• Grade B (Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years’ experience): Rates range from £233 in National Bands 1 and 2 to £371 in London 1.
• Grade C (Other solicitors or legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience): Rates range from £189 in National Band 2 to £288 in London 1.
• Grade D (Trainee solicitors, paralegals, and other fee earners): Rates range from £134 in National Bands 1 and 2 to £198 in London 1.

To find out more, read the full article on our website.

How Can ARC Costs Assist?

ARC Costs, as well as preparing documents, such as Bills of Costs and Costs Budgets, often handle negotiations during detailed assessment proceedings, and deal with disputes between parties in relation to the hourly rates being charged as part of any costs recovery.

Please note that the revised Guideline Hourly Rates 2024 remain guidelines only. A number of factors can be taken into account to allow for a higher rate to be claimed in costs, such the expertise of a Solicitor and the complexity of the case.

The issues of the hourly rates claimed in costs can be dealt with through Points of Dispute and Replies, with oral submissions sometimes being required at summary assessment and detailed assessment where a decision on the reasonableness of the rates claimed will be made by the costs judge.

As independent costs experts, we regularly act for paying and receiving parties, concerning the recoverability of costs. To discuss your costs query further, please contact us on 01204 397302 or email on of the team at info@arccosts.co.uk. Alternatively, you may complete our online enquiry form and we will contact you to discuss your query further.