The District Court (Costs) Rules 2023 set out a new schedule of costs for solicitors in various categories of civil proceedings, as well as briefing fees for counsel — including a new table of costs for barristers’ preparatory and drafting work for the first time.

The scale of costs has come under criticism in recent years for being too low and discouraging solicitors from taking lower-level cases.

Under the District Court Rules, the schedule of costs is to be revised at least every three years. It is not clear why the latest revision was delayed.