Fees
As part of our regulatory duties, we are required to publish certain information about our fees, which you will find below.
These fees are estimations based on the average case/application. However, it should be noted that every case is different and accordingly we encourage you to get an individual quote for “your” case. Moreover, unless otherwise stated (here or in the “Expertise” section) or agreed, we will charge on a time-spent basis based on our set hourly rates.
Moreover, in addition to our estimated fees, you may need to incur additional costs called “disbursements”. Disbursements are fees we incur on your behalf other than legal fees to progress your matter – for example, court fees, surveyor’s fees, medical, record fees. Where possible, the details of possible disbursements have been listed below. Further details can be obtained from us on request and are in any event e outlined in our client-care letter.
Our hourly rates for fee earners by grade are as follows:
Grade A: 8 years of experience plus or partners – £400 an hour
Grade B: between 4 years and 8 years of experience – £320 an hour
Grade C: between 2 years and 4 years of experience – £270 an hour
Grade D: up to 2 years of experience- £220 an hour
Please note that the government has issued proposals to increase fees in the future. Accordingly, our fees may change and will in any event be subject to periodical review.
What is more, we reserve the right to increase our rate and charge you an additional fee because of certain factors that arise during the course of your matter. The following factors are likely to increase the cost of your matter:
- not having all of the paperwork available or having missing or incorrect information that needs investigation and correction.
- third parties not responding to our communications promptly.
- dealing with unusual or complex assets or items (for example fine art, timeshares, shares in private companies, etc.)
- changing of instructions by you after we have already completed work.
It should be noted that all fees, hourly rates and disbursements on this page (unless otherwise stated or exempt) with be subject to an additional 20% VAT.
EMPLOYMENT:
Employment matters are charged on an hourly-rate basis using the rates above, or we enter into a contingency-fee agreement with you where we receive 40% of whatever you recover from your employer. The latter arrangement will only be optional where case has good prospects of success and the amount to be recovered is sufficient to justify the time investment.
The average claim to the tribunal is £40,000.00 inclusive of disbursements.
An employment claim usually takes around 6-12 months to settle, but depending on the complexity and issues may take substantially longer.
There are no fees payable to HMCTS for commencing an employment claim in the employment tribunal.
Opur pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or
wrongful dismissal
Simple case: £4,000.00 – £12,000.00 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)
Medium complexity case: £8,000.000-£16,000.00 (excluding VAT, charged at
20%)
High complexity case: £10.000.00-£20,000.00 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)
The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you
when you instruct us.
Factors that could make a case more complex:
- If it is necessary to make or defend applications to
amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim - Defending claims that are brought by litigants in
person - Making or defending a costs application
- Complex preliminary issues such as whether the
claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties) - The number of witnesses and documents
- If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if
you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer - Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the
dismissal
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that arepayable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel’s fees estimated between £800.00 to £1,500.00 per day excluding VAT, charged at 20% (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Key stages
The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
- Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers
and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be
revisited throughout the matter and subject to change) - Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is
mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached; - Preparing claim or response
- Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other
party - Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement
throughout the process - preparing or considering a schedule of loss
- Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
- Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing
a bundle of documents - Taking witness statements, drafting statements and
agreeing their content with witnesses - preparing bundle of documents
- Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness
statements - agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast
list - Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including
instructions to Counsel
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle
the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.
How long will my matter take?
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 6-12 months. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 12 to 24 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.
WILLS & PROBATE:
Draft Will (basic will. Quotations for more complex wills are also available.) – £1,200 (fixed fee) Plus VAT of 20%
Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets
We anticipate this will take between 10 and 15 hours work at the rates given above per hour plus VAT at 20%. Total costs estimated at £3500.00 – £6000.00* (+VAT at 20%).
The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.
*These fees are for a standard application for probate or administration in England and Wales where:
- there is no more than one property in the sole name of the deceased
- there are no more than three bank accounts
- there are no debts (other than utility bills)
- there is a valid will appointing executors
- there is a single beneficiary
- there are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
- there is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
- there are no claims made against the estate
Disbursements included in this fee (where applicable VAT is included at 20%):
- If the value of the estate is over £5,000, probate application fee of £273.00.
- Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per beneficiary).
- £69.50 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
- Approximately £90 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Potential additional costs
- If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
- If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.5 (1 per asset usually).
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
- If probate has already been granted, it costs £20 to make a second application.
- Forensic accountant fee – around £10,000.00 – to value a business
- £300.00 an hour for counsel’s advice
Fees for more complex matters will need to be agreed upon with your legal representative.
The timescale for drafting a will is 7 to 14 days on average.
The timescale for drafting a probate or administration application is 1 to 3 months on average. It is not possible to give an exact timescale for the full administration of an estate, it could be anywhere between 6-12 months.
These timescales may change depending on the complexity of the matter and how quickly we can obtain the instructions.
As part of our fixed fee we will:
– Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
– Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
– Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
-Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application
-Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
-Draft a legal oath for you to swear
-Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
-Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you
-Collect and distribute all assets in the estate
Probate litigation will be charged on an hourly rate basis, subject to the hourly rates above. The average cost to trial is between £60,000-£120,000.00 inc of disbursements, with the most likely disbursements being counsel’s fees and court fees. The time scale would be 6-12 months from the date of instruction through to a determination by the court. The aforementioned estimated cost to trial is for estates where:
- There is a valid will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no more than 3 bank or building society accounts
- There are no other intangible assets
- There are 4 beneficiaries
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
- There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
- There are no claims made against the estate
Get help with fees
You may be able to get help to pay the probate fee and other court fees if you have a low income or are on certain benefits.
We will advise you on this on a case-by-case basis.
IMMIGRATION:
*All immigration work is to be carried out on a fixed fee basis. The average immigration application takes 2 to 4 weeks to from taking initial instructions to submission. The timescale for submission and completion may vary depending on how quickly we can obtain the germane information to complete the application and how quickly we can collate all material supporting documents.
Our fixed fees are exclusive of VAT. Whether you will need to pay VAT on our fees may depend on where you live and what immigration permission you have. We will confirm whether VAT (at a rate of 20%) is payable when you instruct us and will work out if VAT is properly chargeable.
Our fixed fees include the following services:
· discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you;
· giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria.
· if you do not fulfil certain criteria, whether this can be overcome and how, which on average takes 2 hours;
· considering the supporting evidence you have provided, which we anticipate will take 8-16 hours;
· where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses;
· preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf, which we anticipate will take X hours;
· giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.
It should be noted that the amount of hours depends on the number of documents, whether they need to be translated, whether anything is missing and how long it will take to obtain the missing documents Disbursements (not included in costs set out above):
Our fees:
Initial consultation of one hour, plus advice and consideration of paperwork (60 mins) – £320
Short-term visas (Visit type) – e.g. tourist (general), business, student visitor – £1,500
Short-term visas (Visit type): Parents of a child at school in the UK – £1,500
EEA settled- or pre-settled status registration – £500
TIER 1 Investor – £10,000
TIER 1 Entrepreneur Visa (Innovator visa or a Start-up visa) – £8,000
TIER 1 Entrepreneur Visa (extension – old system) – £8,000
TIER 2 (all) – £2,500
TIER 4 (General) Student – £2,000
TIER 4 (Child) Student – £2,000
TIER 5 – all visas – £2,000
Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa – £3,000
Spouse/Civil Partner visa – £2,500
Adult Dependant Relative Applications – £5,000 – £10,000
Switching into a spouse/Civil partner visa – £2,000
Extension of stay as a spouse/partner – £2,000
Application for any visa type in case of the previous refusal and in other complicated cases – Charges will be on an hourly rate basis
Applications for Tier 2, 4 & 5 Licences – £5,000
Document reviews e.g. applications for travel documents – £300
Inbound visits –e.g. to detention centres, clients’ homes – Charges will be on an hourly rate basis
Appeals (inc. submission of the appeal) – £3,000+
Tribunal hearings – £2,000 – £5,000
Administrative review – £1,000
Judicial Review (excluding hearing) – £5,000 – £10,000
Indefinite Leave to Remain (‘ILR’) applications – £2,500
Naturalisation – £2,500-£5,000*
*Depending on whether this is a straightforward application, subject access requests need to be made, detailed submissions addressing reasons for refusal need to be addressed, etc.
Appeals are charged separately, as noted above, and are not included in the fixed-fee prices noted above.
Additional fees (disbursements)
If a barrister needs to be instructed to provide specialist advice in your matter, usually if there is unusual complexity owing to your immigration history, the fee is around £300 per hour.
Translation fees for documents that need to be professionally translated from a foreign language into English are normally charged at around £10 per page.
If an interpreter is needed because you do not speak English well enough to provide instructions or evidence, the fee is usually around £15-20 an hour.
Regarding key stages, application fees are a flat-rate, as noted above. The amount of hours you will need will depend on your facility with English and the type and complexity of your application. You will be advised on this at the outset, once we are formally instructed.
For an appeal to the tribunal, we estimate the preparation to be around £2,000 (appeal grounds, submission of appeal and preparation of the bundle) on average and around £2,000 on average for attendance at the hearing on the day. Counsel’s fees will be on top and usually estimate at around £2,000. Again, as noted above, all these fees are subject to an additional 20% VAT.
Moreover, most immigration applications require a fee to be paid to the Home Office directly. The most recent list of fees can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/home-office-immigration-and-nationality-fees-6-april-2022
In addition, many applicants will have to pay an NHS surcharge fee. The exact amount you pay depends on the length of the visa you’re given.
For a year, you’ll have to pay:
- £470 per year for a student or Youth Mobility Scheme visa, for example £940 for a 2-year visa
- £470 per year for visa and immigration applicants who are under the age of 18 at time of application
- £624 per year for all other visa and immigration applications, for example £3,120 for a 5-year visa
For party of the year, the amount you have to pay will depend on the length of the visa you’re given and where you apply from. If six months or less, you do not need to pay the surcharge if you’re applying from outside the UK.
If you’re applying from inside the UK, you’ll have to pay half the yearly cost. For example, £235 for a student, Youth Mobility Scheme or under-18 applications, and £312 for any other application.
If more than six months, but less than a year, then, wherever you apply from, you will still have to pay the cost of a full year.
If your visa is for more than a year, you’ll have to pay:
- the yearly cost plus half the yearly cost, if it’s for 18 months or less
- the cost of 2 full years, if it’s for more than 18 months but less than 2 years
Dependants aged 18 or over usually need to pay the same amount as you for the health surcharge.
EDUCATION:
*All education related work is on a fixed fee basis. Timescales for completion of the work will depend on the institution and its regulations and processes to which the work pertains.
Initial Consultation – £320
Letter or Email – £100
Extenuating Circumstances application – £1,500
University/College Appeal – £2000
University/College Hearing – £1500 – £2500
School/College/University application – £1000 – £2000
University/College/School complaint – £1000 – £2000
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS:
Verifying documents by a solicitor:
Standard: £50 plus VAT per document
Express: £100 plus VAT per document
Verification of a document by a solicitor and apostilisation:
Standard (up to 10 working days): £80 plus VAT per document plus postage £5.
Express (same day): £150 plus VAT per document plus postage £5
Verification by a public notary:
£250 per document
COMPANY AND COMMERCIAL:
*Work undertaken is generally on an hourly rate basis. The average cost of the commercial case going to trial is £80.000 to £100.000 plus VAT, where the matter is worth £10.000 or more. Pre-action costs are usually £10.000 to £20.000.
We undertake some work on a fixed fee basis. This is generally uncontentious work including:
Setting up of a company – £2,500
Opening a bank account: – £2,500
Yearly fee for managing a company and complying with legal requirements – £3,500
MEMBERSHIP:
We are always looking for new ways to meet our customers’ needs, and our membership service is our latest innovation.
As a member, you will get a set number of hours a year of free legal advice and a discount on any extra hours of advice you need. Further, you will have 24-hour access to our dedicated legal team who will be on hand to help you with whatever problem you have.
How does it work?
There are three types of membership:
Platinum
|
£6,000* |
Gold
|
£3,000* |
Silver
|
£1,500* |
*The cost is exclusive of VAT.
Why become a member?
If you need to get legal advice regularly, you will make large savings on fees.
- The hours of service will be tailored to your specific needs. For example, if you are a landlord, you may need advice on your rights and responsibilities, a tenancy agreement drafted or eviction proceedings brought against a tenant.
Our membership service is ideal for businesses of all types, whether you are a small family business or a large company.
How do I become a member?
You should contact us by completing the form below. A member of our dedicated team will then call you to discuss your needs. Once you are a member, we will issue you with a membership card. Your membership will last for 12 calendar months from the date of purchase, after which it will need to be renewed.