Practice Note from the Chancellor of the High Court: Summary assessments

Rolls Building Practice Note – Summary Assessments [2026]

This Practice Note comes into force on 14 April 2026. It applies only in the Chancery Division, Technology and Construction Court, the Commercial Court and London Circuit Commercial Court, within the Rolls Building. The note relates to the format for submitting costs information to the court for summary assessment

1. Currently, the parties submit costs information for summary assessment using forms N260A and N260B in a variety of formats such as on paper, by PDF or using electronic spreadsheet versions.
2. Practice Direction 44 paragraph 9.5 (3)[i] for summary assessment provides that “The statement of costs should follow as closely as possible Form N260 and must be signed by the party or the party’s legal representative […]”.
3. From the 14 April 2026, parties should file and serve costs information using the electronic Excel spreadsheet versions of N260A and N260B for all summary assessments, in addition to whatever format the parties normally use (if different), such as a PDF.  
4. The times set out in Practice Direction 44 paragraph 9.5 (4) should still be adhered to.

Sir Colin Birss, Chancellor of the High Court

Mr Justice Constable

Mr Justice Henshaw

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[i] Practice Direction 44: General rules about costs (external link)