Form N253 UK: Provisional Assessment Notice Guide

What this document is

Form N253 is the court-issued notice that communicates the outcome of a provisional assessment in a legal aid only (or LSC only) detailed assessment of costs. Provisional assessment is a paper-based exercise where a costs judge or authorised officer looks at the bill of costs, the points of dispute where applicable, and the supporting papers, then decides what figure should be allowed without holding an oral hearing.

The process was introduced to make lower-value costs disputes quicker and more proportionate. The notice sets out the sum the court has provisionally allowed and tells the receiving party what happens next. In legal aid matters, the claimant solicitor typically receives the notice and then has to decide whether to accept the figure as final or request an oral hearing.

The form also records basic case identifiers such as the claim number, the parties, and the date of issue, so it sits clearly on the court file as the trigger for the next procedural step.

How to use this document

1. Receive the notice from the court. Once the court has carried out its paper review, Form N253 is sent out showing the amount provisionally allowed. Check the figure carefully against the bill submitted, noting any items that have been reduced, disallowed, or altered, because these are the points you may want to challenge if the outcome is not acceptable.
2. Consider whether to accept or be heard. You have a short period, usually 14 days from service, to tell the court in writing if you want an oral hearing on the assessment. If you do nothing within that window and accept the figure, the provisional amount becomes final. Weigh the value of any disputed items against the costs and risks of a hearing.
3. Notify counsel before accepting. In legal aid only cases, if any of counsel's fees have been reduced or disallowed at the provisional stage, the solicitor must write to counsel and tell them. You should not treat the provisional assessment as final without first checking whether counsel also accepts the outcome, because counsel has their own right to be heard on their fees.
4. Request a hearing if appropriate. If you or counsel want to challenge the provisional figure, file a written request with the court within the 14-day window, identifying the items in dispute. Be aware that costs consequences can follow if the hearing does not improve the position by a meaningful margin, so this decision should be made deliberately.
5. Finalise the assessment. If the provisional figure is accepted, return the bill of costs to the court along with any balance of the assessment fee that applies. The court will then complete the process so the costs can be paid under the legal aid certificate. Keep copies of all correspondence with counsel and the court on the file.

Common questions