This article is general legal information for England and Wales, explaining how solicitors are typically permitted and required to charge. It does not state what any individual firm charges, and it is not a substitute for getting a specific, written cost estimate from a solicitor before you instruct them.
Why this is confusing
Legal costs are one of the most misunderstood parts of getting help. Different firms charge in different ways for the same type of work, “no win no fee” is often assumed to mean entirely free, and headline fees do not always include every cost you will actually face. This guide explains the three main charging models solicitors use in England and Wales, in plain terms, using the regulator’s own transparency requirements as the basis.
Solicitors have to publish price information for some services
Since 2018, the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s Transparency Rules have required firms to publish clear price and service information for eight specific areas of work if they offer them to the public: residential conveyancing, probate, motoring offences, employment tribunal claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal, immigration (excluding asylum), individual voluntary arrangements, licensing applications for business premises, and, separately, general guidance on personal injury pricing. That information has to be prominent, accessible and easy to find on the firm’s website — so for these specific service types, comparing published prices before you contact anyone is genuinely possible.
Outside those eight areas, firms are not required to publish a price list, but reputable firms will still give you a clear, written cost estimate before starting work — ask for this in writing if it is not offered.
The three main charging models
1. Hourly rate
You are charged for the actual time spent on your case, usually billed in units of six minutes, at a rate that depends on the solicitor’s seniority and location. This model is common for complex or unpredictable work — contested litigation, for example — where the total amount of work cannot be known in advance. The risk is that a case that turns out to be more complicated, or that the other side contests at every stage, can cost significantly more than first estimated. A reputable firm should give you a written estimate and update you if costs are likely to exceed it materially.
2. Fixed fee
You agree a set price for a defined piece of work before it starts — for example, a straightforward will, an uncontested divorce, or a standard conveyancing transaction. Fixed fees work well where the scope of work is predictable and well understood. They give cost certainty, but only for the work covered by the quote: if your matter turns out to involve something outside that scope (a dispute arising during conveyancing, for instance), additional charges may apply, so it is worth asking exactly what is and is not included.
3. No win, no fee (conditional fee agreements)
Under a conditional fee agreement (CFA), you do not pay your solicitor’s basic fee if the case is lost. If the case succeeds, the solicitor is entitled to charge a “success fee” on top of their normal costs, as compensation for taking on the risk of not being paid at all if you lose. This success fee is not unlimited: under the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, in personal injury cases the success fee is capped at 25% of the damages awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, and for past financial losses — future losses (such as ongoing care costs) are excluded from that cap and protected from the deduction.
Two things “no win, no fee” does not automatically mean:
- It is not necessarily free even if you win — the success fee comes out of your damages, within the legal cap that applies to your type of claim.
- It does not automatically cover the other side’s costs if you lose. In many cases, “after the event” (ATE) insurance is arranged alongside a CFA specifically to cover that risk — ask whether this applies to your case and what it costs.
A related model, the damages-based agreement (DBA), charges a percentage of the damages recovered rather than an hourly-rate-based success fee; the two are structured differently and are worth asking a solicitor to explain side by side if you are offered one.
Costs you should ask about regardless of the model
- Disbursements — third-party costs such as court fees, expert reports or search fees, which are usually charged in addition to the solicitor’s own fee.
- VAT — check whether any quote you are given is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.
- What happens if the matter is more complex than expected, and how you will be told before extra costs are incurred.
- Court fees — if your matter goes to court, fees apply on top of legal costs; those on a low income may be able to apply for fee remission (help with fees) through HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
If you think you have been overcharged
You can ask your solicitor for a detailed breakdown of a bill, complain to the firm directly, and — if unresolved — refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, which handles cost disputes with legal service providers. There are time limits on referring a complaint (generally within six months of the firm’s final response, and normally within a year of the problem occurring or you becoming aware of it), so act promptly if you intend to challenge a bill.
Sources
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, “SRA Transparency Rules” — sra.org.uk
- The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 (SI 2013/689) — legislation.gov.uk
- House of Commons Library, “No win, no fee funding arrangements” (research briefing CBP-7607) — commonslibrary.parliament.uk
- Legal Ombudsman, time limits on bringing a complaint — legalombudsman.org.uk