This article explains the framework that sets out the legal costs we will cover for those applying for financial redress under the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS). The aim is to ensure that applicants can pursue redress without facing prohibitive legal costs, while safeguarding value for public funds.

What the framework covers
– Solicitors’ fees: Reasonable and proportionate fees charged by a solicitor or firm acting on behalf of the applicant in preparing, submitting, and pursuing the claim under the HCRS.
– Counsel’s fees: Fees for advocacy and judicial or quasi-judicial representation where necessary, subject to reasonableness and proportionality assessments.
– Disbursements: Direct costs incurred in pursuing the claim, including expert reports, medical or psychological assessments where relevant to the claim, court fees, translation and interpretation services, and essential travel and subsistence related to pursuing the redress.
– Administrative costs: Reasonable administrative costs that are directly linked to the preparation and submission of the claim (for example, filing, postage, and document handling costs as approved by the scheme).

What is not covered
– Excessive or disproportionate costs: Fees or disbursements that are not reasonable in amount or not proportionate to the scope and complexity of the claim.
– Non-essential costs: Costs for services that are not directly connected to pursuing the redress claim under the HCRS.
– Unapproved or speculative costs: Fees for items that have not been pre-approved or for which there is no clear, direct connection to the redress claim.
– Costs outside the defined framework: Any costs incurred outside the scheme’s published rules and rate arrangements unless specifically approved through the established process.

Eligibility and assessment
– Eligibility: Applicants must meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria for financial redress. Once eligibility is established, eligible legal costs can be considered for coverage under the framework.
– Evidence and documentation: Applicants or their legal representatives must provide clear, verifiable documentation of costs incurred, including itemised invoices and breakdowns of hours worked, rates charged, and reason for each expense.
– Reasonableness and proportionality: All costs will be assessed to ensure they are reasonable for the work carried out and proportional to the complexity of the claim and the potential redress.
– Independent assessment: A designated costs assessor or the scheme’s cost team will review the submitted costs to determine which items, and at what levels, will be approved for funding.
– Caps and limits: Where applicable, the framework includes caps or ceiling limits on certain cost categories. These caps are designed to balance fair access to redress with responsible use of public funds.
– Pre-approval: For certain high-cost items or steps in the process, pre-approval may be required to ensure costs will be eligible for reimbursement.

Process to claim legal costs
– Step 1: Claimant engages a legal representative and begins work on the HCRS claim.
– Step 2: The applicant or their representative submits a detailed costs claim, with supporting documentation, to the scheme for assessment.
– Step 3: The costs assessor reviews the submission for reasonableness, proportionality, and alignment with the framework.
– Step 4: The scheme approves, reduces, or declines aspects of the claimed costs. Where necessary, the assessor may request further information or clarification.
– Step 5: Approved costs are paid to the legal provider directly or reimbursed to the claimant, according to the scheme’s payment arrangements.
– Step 6: If a cost item is declined, the claimant may appeal or request a reassessment, following the scheme’s appeals process.

Responsibilities of legal representatives
– Transparency: Provide clear, itemised invoices and supporting evidence to support the claimed costs.
– Compliance: Ensure all claimed costs comply with the framework, including rates, hours, and substantiation requirements.
– Communication: Maintain open lines of communication with the claimant and the scheme, including notifying the claimant of any anticipated costs that may require pre-approval.

Transparency and governance
– Accountability: All approved costs will be subject to regular auditing and governance processes to ensure integrity and value for money.
– Record-keeping: The scheme maintains thorough records of costs claimed, assessed, and paid, with accessible explanations of decisions.
– Review and updates: The framework will be reviewed periodically to reflect changes in costs, legal practice, and policy objectives, with updates communicated to stakeholders.

Practical considerations for applicants
– Start early: Engage legal representation early to understand potential costs and seek pre-approval for larger items where available.
– Be precise: Provide detailed, well-organised documentation to facilitate a smooth assessment process.
– Ask questions: If any aspect of the costs framework is unclear, contact the scheme’s support or the designated costs team for guidance.

Conclusion
The legal costs framework within the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme is designed to promote access to justice by funding reasonable and necessary legal costs, while ensuring responsible use of public funds. By defining eligible cost categories, assessment processes, and governance standards, the scheme aims to deliver fair outcomes for applicants and clarity for legal representatives.

If you would like further clarification on how the framework applies to a specific case or need guidance on submitting a costs claim, please reach out to the HCRS support team for detailed assistance.

April 23, 2026 at 10:45AM
指南：Horizon 定罪救济计划（HCRS）：法律费用框架
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/horizon-convictions-redress-scheme-hcrs-legal-cost-framework
本框架规定我们将为在 Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme（HCRS）下申请财政赔偿的人士承担的法律费用。

阅读更多中文内容： HCRS 法律费用覆盖框架解读：为申请人提供的经济赔偿路径