In April 2024, we saw an increase to the fixed fees following the amendments made to the PD19b. The fixed fees remain the same and are as follows:
| Work carried out | Current Fixed Costs (2024) |
| Application work | £1,204 +VAT |
| 1st General Management year | £2,116 +VAT |
| 2nd and subsequent General Management years | £1,672 +VAT |
| Preparation and lodging of the Deputy Report | £336 +VAT |
| Basic Tax Return | £317 +VAT |
| Complex Tax Return | 3 quotes (Re ACC) |
| Conveyancing | 3 quotes (Re ACC) |
This was a welcomed increase at the time. It came alongside some other changes, including the increase in the threshold for hardship cases to £20,300 and the ability to take interim payments at any time during the management period (instead of quarterly) up to 75% of the OPG105 estimate or WIP incurred, whichever is lower.
In 2025, following the 3.2% increase in most Court fees which reflected the change in CPI for 2023/2024, and also the (now annual) increases to Guideline Hourly Rates in line with Service Producer Price Inflation (SSPI) of 3.65%, the main question pondered here is whether COP Practitioners should expect to see the same applied to Fixed Fees?
Given the ongoing delays at the SCCO, an increase in the fixed fees may perhaps reduce the amount of smaller assessments being submitted if the practitioner had the option to be able to take reasonable remuneration for the work carried out. As it stands, having costs assessed may be more profitable where the 2025 guideline rates apply. A COP practitioner would have to take a view of this on a case by case basis.
As a reminder, it is incredibly important for COP practitioners to update their client care paperwork to reflect the ongoing Guideline Hourly Rate increases before they are implemented to ensure that they are applicable for the go live date. The same applies to any increases in fixed costs should they be announced. This is to ensure that COP Practitioners can benefit immediately from the increases and to ensure there are no possible breaches of the indemnity principle.