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Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) Act 1975

1975 CHAPTER 47

An Act to make further provision as to the costs or expenses recoverable by litigants in person in civil proceedings.

[1st August 1975]

1 Costs or expenses recoverable.

(1) Where, in any proceedings to which this subsection applies, any costs of a litigant in person are ordered to be paid by any other party to the proceedings or in any other way, there may, subject to rules of court, be allowed on the taxation or other determination of those costs sums in respect of any work done, and any expenses and losses incurred, by the litigant in or in connection with the proceedings to which the order relates.

This subsection applies to civil proceedings—

(a) in England and Wales in the county court or in Northern Ireland in a county court, in the family court, in the Senior Courts, in the Court of Judicature or in the Supreme Court on appeal from the High Court or the Court of Appeal,

(b) before . . . the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland,

(ba) before the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal, or

(c) in or before any other court or tribunal specified in an order made under this subsection by the Lord Chancellor.

(2) Where, in any proceedings to which this subsection applies, any costs or expenses of a party litigant are ordered to be paid by any other party to the proceedings or in any other way, there may, subject to rules of court, be allowed on the taxation or other determination of those costs or expenses sums in respect of any work done, and any outlays and losses incurred, by the litigant in or in connection with the proceedings to which the order relates.

This subsection applies to civil proceedings—

(a) in the sheriff court, the Scottish Land Court, the Court of Session or the Supreme Court on appeal from the Court of Session,

(b) before the Lands Tribunal for Scotland,

(ba) before the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal, or

(c) in or before any other court or tribunal specified in an order made under this subsection by the Lord Advocate.

(3) An order under subsection (1) or (2) above shall be made by statutory instrument and shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(4) In this section “ rules of court ”—

(a) in relation to . . . the Lands Tribunal for Scotland, means rules made under section 3 of the Lands Tribunal Act 1949,

(b) in relation to the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland, means rules made under section 9 of the Lands Tribunal and Compensation Act (Northern Ireland) 1964,

(ba) in relation to the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal, means Tribunal Procedure Rules, and

(c) in relation to any other tribunal specified in an order made under subsection (1) or (2) above, shall have the meaning given by the order as respects that tribunal.

(5) In the application of this section to Northern Ireland—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) the expressions “county court”, “the High Court” and “ the Court of Appeal ” shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them by section 29(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1962 ;

(ii) the reference to the Lord Chancellor shall be construed as a reference to the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland;

(b) in subsection (3) for “by statutory instrument” to “Parliament” there is substituted by statutory rule for the purposes of the Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 ; and is subject to negative resolution within the meaning of section 41(6) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 .

2 Short title, commencement and extent.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) Act 1975.

(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) This Act extends to Northern Ireland.

Status: Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) Act 1975 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 February 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) Act 1975 (1975/47)

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Status of this instrument

footnotecommentarytransitional and savingsin force statusrelated provisionsgeo extentinsert/omitsource countin force adj
C1Act modified (N.I.) (1.4.2015) by Planning Act (Northern-Ireland) 2011 (c. 25) , ss. 205(5) , 254(1) , 254(2) (with s. 211 ); S.R. 2015/49 , art. 3 , Sch. 1 (with Sch. 2 )
C2S. 1: functions tranferred (19.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/678 , art. 2(1) , Sch.
F1Words in s. 1(1) inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 9 para. 103 ; S.I. 2014/954 , art. 2(c) (with art. 3 ) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956 , arts. 3-11)this amendment (text inserted) should be read in conjunction with other related provisions, see the commentary.inserted
F2Words in s. 1(1) inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22) , s. 61(3) , Sch. 10 para. 35 ; S.I. 2014/954 , art. 2(d) (with art. 3 ) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956 , arts. 3-11)this amendment (text inserted) should be read in conjunction with other related provisions, see the commentary.inserted
F3Words in s. 1(a) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4) , ss. 59(5) , 148(1) , Sch. 11 para. 22(a) , S.I . 2009/1604, {art. 2(d)}substituted
F4Words in s. 1(1)(a)(2)(a) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4) , ss. 40(4) , 148(1) , Sch. 9 para. 26 ; S.I. 2009/1604 , art. 2(d)substituted
F5Words in s. 1(1)(b)(4)(a) omitted (1.6.2009) by The Transfer of Tribunal Functions (Lands Tribunal and Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1307) , art. 5(1)(2) . {Sch. 1 para. 116} (with Sch. 5)this amendment (text omitted) should be read in conjunction with other related provisions, see the commentary.omitted
F6S. 1(1)(ba)(2)(ba) inserted (3.11.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15) , ss. 48(1) , 148(5) , Sch. 8 para. 6(2) ; S.I. 2008/2696 , arts. 2 , 5(c)(i) (with art. 3 )this amendment (text inserted) should be read in conjunction with other related provisions, see the commentary.inserted
F7S. 1(4)(ba) inserted (3.11.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15) , ss. 48(1) , 148(5) , Sch. 8 para. 6(3) ; S.I. 2008/2696 , arts. 2 , 5(c)(i) , (with art. 3)this amendment (text inserted) should be read in conjunction with other related provisions, see the commentary.inserted
F8S. 1(5) substituted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976) , art. 15(5) , Sch. 18 para. 8 (with arts. 28-31 )this amendment (text substituted) should be read in conjunction with other related provisions, see the commentary.substituted
F9S. 2(2)(3) repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14) , s. 1(1) , {Sch. 1 Pt. 1 Group 4}repealed
M11949 c. 42 .
M21964 c. 29 (N.I.)
M31962 c. 30 .
M4S.I. 1979/1573 (N.I. 12) .
M51954 c. 33 (N.I.)
Defined TermSection/ArticleIDScope of Application
county courts. 1county_cou_rtBHYZJ
rules of courts. 1legTermXIrMs6XS
the Court of Appeals. 1legTermpb1W7h07
the High Courts. 1the_High_C_rtKUAZ3
Changes that affect Made by
Sort descending by Changed Legislation Sort descending by Year and Number Changed Provision Type of effect Sort descending by Affecting Legislation Title Sort descending by Year and Number Affecting Provision Sort descending by Changes made to website text Note
Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) Act 1975 1975 c. 47 s. 1(1) applied Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 2015 c. 8 s. 109(5) Not yet
  • Litigants in Person (Costs and Expenses) (Magistrates' Courts) Order 2001 (2001/3438)

Status of changes to instrument text

The list includes made instruments, both those in force and those yet to come into force. Typically, instruments that are not yet in force (hence their changes are not incorporated into the text above) are indicated by description 'not yet' in the changes made column.