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Crunching the numbers

09 May 2025 / Georgina Squire , Camilla Pratt
Issue: 8115 / Categories: Features , Profession , Costs
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Georgina Squire and Camilla Pratt explain how the business and property costs budgeting pilot will work in practice
  • Three three-year costs budgeting pilot schemes were introduced in April, aiming to provide a more tailored approach to costs management in litigation.
  • The pilots distinguish claims by value.

It is not disputed that the profession accepts costs management has led to progress in discipline and understanding around costs. However, there is a general view that it is those running the litigation who are better placed to anticipate the likely costs (particularly in high value claims) as the party with in-depth knowledge of the claim and the potential litigation strategies likely to be deployed. The constraints of having to apply to increase a budget only where there is good reason is felt particularly by those running high value acrimonious disputes.

Practitioners are, therefore, very likely to welcome the new pilot schemes introduced on 1 April, which are intended to continue until 1 April 2028. The purpose of the pilot schemes (which

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