•it is in the best interests of the client to incur the disbursement;

•it is reasonable to incur the disbursement for the purpose of providing controlled work, ie necessary for the purpose of giving advice to the client or progressing the case;

•the amount of the disbursement is reasonable; and

•it is not a disbursement which is specifically prohibited.2Standard Civil Contract Specification 2013 para 4.21 and subject-specific sections.

•costs of (or expenses relating to) the residential assessment of a child or treatment, therapy, training or other interventions of an educative or rehabilitative nature unless authorised by the LAA;

•Ad Valorem stamp duties;

•capital duty;

•client’s travelling and accommodation expenses save in the circumstances prescribed in the Costs Assessment Guidance and unless they relate to treatment, therapy, training or other interventions of an educative or rehabilitative nature or to the residential assessment of a child;

•all fees, charges and costs of child contact centres, including assessments and reports on supervised contact, and of other professional assessments of contact between children and adults;

•court fees unless for a search/photocopies/bailiff service or as part of Controlled Legal Representation or otherwise permitted by Category Specific Rules;

•discharge of debts owed by the client, for example, rent or mortgage arrears;

•fee payable on voluntary petitions in bankruptcy;

•fee payable to implement a pension sharing order;

•fee payable to the Office of the Public Guardian;

•immigration application fees;

•mortgagees’ or lessors’ legal costs and disbursements;

•passport fees;

•probate fees;

•in the Family category of law only, costs of or expenses in relation to the provision of family mediation, conciliation or any other dispute resolution including family group conferences;

•in the Family category of law only, costs or expenses of risk assessments within section 16A of the Children Act 1989 (as amended) and undertaken by Cafcass officers or Welsh family proceedings officers, including assessments of the risk of harm to a child in connection with domestic abuse to the child or another person;

•in the Family category of law only, costs of or expenses relating to any activity to promote contact with a child directed by the court under sections 11A to 11G of the Children Act 1989 (as amended) – this includes all programmes, consideration of suitability under section 11E and other work to or with a view to establishing, maintaining or improving contact with a child or, by addressing violent behaviour, to or with a view to enabling or facilitating contact with a child;

•any administration fee charged by an expert including, but not limited to, (i) a fee in respect of office space or provision of a consultation room, (ii) a fee in respect of administrative support services, such as typing services, (iii) a fee in respect of courier services and (iv) a subsistence fee;

•any cancellation fee charged by an expert, where the notice of cancellation was given to the expert more than 72 hours before the relevant hearing or appointment.