No surprises on the invoice.
We publish our fees because we'd want the same: published fees for conveyancing, wills, probate, debt recovery, immigration and employment tribunal claims, and instant calculators for the rest.
How we set our fees
Fixed fees where we can
Most private-client, property and immigration work is a fixed fee, published here. Commercial work is quoted by hourly rate, estimate, success fee, staged fixed fees or a retainer.
VAT & disbursements
Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath. Disbursements — Land Registry, court, Home Office and search fees — are third-party costs, listed separately with their VAT treatment.
Stages & timescales
For each service we set out the key stages, who does the work and the likely timescales, in line with the SRA Transparency Rules.
Buying and selling, by property value.
Fixed fees for standard freehold and leasehold transactions inside and outside London. Enhanced-checks bands apply where a client is overseas or a company.
Purchase — outside London
| Property value | Our fee | With enhanced checks |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £250,000 | £1,080incl. VAT£900 + £180 VAT | £1,800incl. VAT£1,500 + £300 VAT |
| £250,001 – £500,000 | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT | £1,800incl. VAT£1,500 + £300 VAT |
| £500,001 – £1,000,000 | £1,560incl. VAT£1,300 + £260 VAT | £2,100incl. VAT£1,750 + £350 VAT |
Purchase — London
| Property value | Our fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £1,000,000 | £2,280incl. VAT£1,900 + £380 VAT |
| £1,000,001 – £1,500,000 | £2,640 – £3,060incl. VAT£2,200 – £2,550 + £440 – £510 VAT |
| £1,500,001 – £2,000,000 | £3,060 – £4,200incl. VAT£2,550 – £3,500 + £510 – £700 VAT |
| £2,000,001 – £2,500,000 | from £5,700incl. VATfrom £4,750 + £950 VAT |
| £2,500,001 – £3,000,000 | from £7,800incl. VATfrom £6,500 + £1,300 VAT |
| £3,000,001 – £3,500,000 | from £9,480incl. VATfrom £7,900 + £1,580 VAT |
| £3,500,001 – £4,000,000 | from £10,560incl. VATfrom £8,800 + £1,760 VAT |
Sale — outside London
| Property value | Our fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £100,000 | £780incl. VAT£650 + £130 VAT |
| £100,001 – £500,000 | £1,140incl. VAT£950 + £190 VAT |
| £500,001 – £750,000 | £1,320incl. VAT£1,100 + £220 VAT |
| £750,001 – £1,000,000 | £1,560incl. VAT£1,300 + £260 VAT |
Sale — London
| Property value | Our fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £1,000,000 | £1,560incl. VAT£1,300 + £260 VAT |
Leasehold — additional
| Leasehold supplement (purchase or sale)our fee | £300incl. VAT£250 + £50 VAT |
|---|---|
| Purchase — Notice of transfer feeset out in the lease; VAT at 20% where the landlord or agent charges it | £50 – £200 |
| Purchase — Notice of charge fee (if mortgaged)VAT at 20% where the landlord or agent charges it | £50 – £200 |
| Purchase — Deed of covenant feeset by the management company; VAT at 20% where charged | £50 – £200 |
| Purchase — Certificate of compliance feeVAT at 20% where charged | £50 – £100 |
| Sale — Managing agent's packVAT at 20% is usually charged | £200 – £450 |
| Sale — HM Land Registry copy of the leaseelectronic (£11 by post); no VAT | £7 / copy |
The leasehold supplement is our fee, shown with VAT; the other figures are the landlord's or managing agent's charges, which vary from property to property.
Disbursements, timescale and scope
- Purchase — Search fees: £300 – £500 (the precise amount depends on the local authority; it includes VAT at 20% where the search provider charges it (most do))
- Purchase — HM Land Registry fee: £20 – £1,105 (Scale 1 by price, for a transfer of a whole registered title applied for online (by post in brackets): £20 (£45) up to £80,000, £40 (£95) to £100,000, £100 (£230) to £200,000, £150 (£330) to £500,000, £295 (£655) to £1,000,000, £500 (£1,105) above; a new lease or a transfer of part, as on many new builds, pays the higher figure even online; no VAT)
- Purchase — Land Registry priority search and bankruptcy search: £13 – £19 (the priority search £7 and a bankruptcy search of £6 for each buyer (portal fees; £11 and £7 by post); no VAT)
- Purchase — Stamp Duty Land Tax: (a tax on the price — where it will be the only residential property you own: nil up to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above; a first-time buyer pays nil up to £300,000 and 5% to £500,000, with no relief on a price above £500,000; an additional property adds 5% to every band (on a price of £40,000 or more) and a buyer who is not UK resident pays a further 2%; the conveyancing calculator works out your figure; no VAT (a tax, not a fee))
- Sale — HM Land Registry copies of register, plan and deeds: £7 (per copy, electronic (£11 by post); no VAT)
- Typical timescale: 8 to 12 weeks from an accepted offer.
- Fees assume a standard transaction up to £1,000,000; non-standard transactions (for example separate solicitors for your lender, an unregistered title, a new build, shared ownership, right to buy, an auction, or an overseas or company client) are quoted individually.
Remortgages, transfers of equity and declarations of trust
| Remortgagea fixed fee, given before we start, depending on the lender's requirements | Quoted on request |
|---|---|
| Transfer of equitya fixed fee, given before we start, depending on whether a mortgage lender is involved | Quoted on request |
| Declaration of trust for property ownership | from £600incl. VATfrom £500 + £100 VAT |
Plus disbursements, set out below.
Who does the work, and how long it takes
Conveyancing executives or licensed conveyancers carry out most of the work, and legal executives may also do some of it, under the supervision of a qualified solicitor. In the main, the work is carried out by qualified solicitors or trainee solicitors, though certain work may be delegated to secretaries and paralegals.
The time from an accepted offer to completion depends on a number of factors, but the typical range is 8 to 12 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the chain, whether there is mortgage finance, how long the local authority takes to return the searches, any issues raised by the survey and how complicated the title is.
Assumptions
- 01The property is worth no more than £1,000,000 (a bespoke quote is given above that)
- 02No unforeseen matters arise — for example a defect in title that must be put right before completion, or additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
- 03The transaction is concluded in a timely manner, every party co-operates, and third parties provide documents without unreasonable delay
- 04No indemnity policies are required (additional disbursements apply if they are)
- 05Our fee covers all of the work we do to complete the transaction, including registration at the Land Registry and arranging payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax, but not the third-party expenses we incur for you; if a transaction is complex or becomes protracted we may charge more, and we speak to you about it first
Key stages — sale
- 01Taking your instructions, identity checks and the contract pack — 1 to 2 weeks
- 02Answering the buyer's enquiries — 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the buyer's searches
- 03Exchange of contracts — typically 6 to 10 weeks from an accepted offer
- 04Completion: redeeming any mortgage, paying the estate agent and sending you the balance — usually 1 to 2 weeks after exchange
- 05After completion: confirming the transfer to the buyer's solicitor — within a week
Key stages — purchase
- 01Taking your instructions, identity and source-of-funds checks — 1 to 2 weeks
- 02Searches, enquiries and reporting to you on the title — 3 to 6 weeks
- 03The mortgage offer and the lender's requirements — alongside the searches
- 04Exchange of contracts and the deposit — typically 6 to 10 weeks from an accepted offer
- 05Completion — usually 1 to 2 weeks after exchange
- 06The Stamp Duty Land Tax return within 14 days of completion, then registration — the Land Registry takes from a few weeks to several months
Remortgage — included
- 01Reviewing the mortgage offer and the lender's requirements
- 02Title checks and searches the lender needs (or indemnity insurance)
- 03Redeeming the existing mortgage and registering the new charge
Remortgage — not included
- 01A transfer of equity at the same time (priced separately above)
- 02Leasehold consents and notices beyond the standard notice of charge
- 03Unregistered titles (quoted individually)
Remortgage — key stages (Typically 4 to 8 weeks from the mortgage offer, depending on the lender's requirements and any searches)
- 01Instructions, identity checks and the lender's requirements — within a week
- 02Title checks and the searches the lender needs, or indemnity insurance — 1 to 3 weeks
- 03Report to you and the mortgage deed for signing — 1 to 2 weeks
- 04Completion: redeeming the old mortgage and drawing the new advance — on the day the lender releases funds, typically 3 to 6 weeks from the offer
- 05Land Registry registration of the new charge — lodged within 7 days of completion; the Land Registry then takes 2 to 12 weeks
- 06Disbursement: Land Registry registration of the new charge: £20 – £140 by the amount secured (Scale 2, electronic; £45 – £305 by post), plus official copies at £7 each, no VAT
- 07Disbursement: Priority search and bankruptcy searches: £13 for one borrower, £19 for two — the priority search £7 and £6 a name for the bankruptcy search (portal fees; £11 and £7 by post), no VAT
- 08Disbursement: Local search where the lender requires one: £150 – £400 + VAT at 20% where the provider charges it, or search indemnity insurance from £20 (insurance premium tax included)
Transfer of equity — included
- 01Advice on the transfer and any declaration of trust between the owners
- 02The lender's consent where there is a mortgage, and its requirements
- 03The transfer deed, the Stamp Duty Land Tax return where consideration passes, and Land Registry registration
Transfer of equity — not included
- 01A remortgage at the same time (priced separately above)
- 02Independent advice for the person leaving the title where a lender requires it (quoted separately)
- 03Unregistered titles (quoted individually)
Transfer of equity — key stages (Typically 3 to 6 weeks from instruction where the lender consents promptly)
- 01Instructions and identity checks for everyone coming onto or leaving the title — within a week
- 02Title check and the lender's consent where there is a mortgage — 1 to 3 weeks
- 03Drafting the transfer deed and any declaration of trust — 1 to 2 weeks
- 04Signing and completion, with the Stamp Duty Land Tax return where consideration passes — on the agreed day, typically 3 to 6 weeks from instruction
- 05Land Registry registration — lodged within 7 days of completion; the Land Registry then takes 2 to 12 weeks
- 06Disbursement: Land Registry fee: £20 – £140 by the value transferred (Scale 2 for a transfer not for value, electronic; £45 – £305 by post) — Scale 1 applies where money changes hands, no VAT
- 07Disbursement: Office copies of the title: £7 each (electronic official copies), no VAT
- 08Disbursement: Bankruptcy search: £6 per name (portal; £7 by post), no VAT
- 09Disbursement: Stamp Duty Land Tax where the consideration is above the threshold, no VAT (a tax, not a fee)
Private client, priced simply.
Wills from £360 including VAT (£300 + VAT), probate to the grant from £1,800 including VAT (£1,500 + VAT), and lasting powers of attorney at £840 each or £1,440 combined, including VAT.
Wills
| UK willdepending on the estate and any trusts | from £360incl. VATfrom £300 + £60 VAT |
|---|---|
| Spouse mirror willsfor the pair | from £540incl. VATfrom £450 + £90 VAT |
| Codicil | from £180incl. VATfrom £150 + £30 VAT |
| Will review£50 less if you then instruct us on amendments | £102incl. VAT£85 + £17 VAT |
| Deed storage | £24 / yearincl. VAT£20 + £4 VAT |
| Professional executorsunless agreed otherwise, charged at our hourly rates (£145 – £350 + VAT), with an estimate when the will is made | Bespoke |
Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath; third-party disbursements are extra, and each says whether VAT applies to it.
Probate
| Probate — up to obtaining a grant, estate below the nil-rate band | £1,800incl. VAT£1,500 + £300 VAT |
|---|---|
| Probate — up to obtaining a grant, estate above the nil-rate band | £3,900incl. VAT£3,250 + £650 VAT |
| Estate administration after the grantagreed before we start; in our published examples, from about £2,000 + VAT (a £100,000 estate of four bank accounts) to about £35,000 + VAT (an £800,000 estate with a dispute between the beneficiaries) | Hourly rate and/or 1.5% of the estate |
| Bank transfer feeour charge for each payment out of the estate | £48 / transferincl. VAT£40 + £8 VAT |
The Probate Registry typically issues the grant within about three months (12 weeks) of the application, once the estate has been established and valued. Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath; third-party disbursements are extra, and each says whether VAT applies to it.
Probate disbursements
| Probate application feefor an estate over £5,000 (no fee at £5,000 or less); no VAT | £526 |
|---|---|
| Sealed copies of the grantordered with the application (£16 each afterwards); no VAT | £2 / copy |
| Bankruptcy searches against beneficiariesmade before the estate is distributed (portal fee; £7 by post); no VAT | £6 / name |
| Land Registry searchelectronic (£11 by post); no VAT | £7 / search |
| Statutory noticeapprox.; + VAT at 20% | £200 / notice |
Payable to third parties in addition to our fees.
Powers of attorney
| Ordinary power of attorney | £300incl. VAT£250 + £50 VAT |
|---|---|
| Ordinary power of attorney for property contractssigning up to 10 contracts free; £20 per additional signing | £240incl. VAT£200 + £40 VAT |
| LPA — health and welfare | £840incl. VAT£700 + £140 VAT |
| LPA — property and finance | £840incl. VAT£700 + £140 VAT |
| LPA — combined | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
| Acting as certificate provider | £210incl. VAT£175 + £35 VAT |
| Exercising ongoing attorney powers as professional trustee or attorneyunless agreed otherwise, charged at our hourly rates (£145 – £350 + VAT) | Bespoke |
Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath; third-party disbursements are extra, and each says whether VAT applies to it.
Who does the work, and how long it takes
Qualified solicitors carry out most of the work. Legal executives and trainee solicitors, under the supervision of a qualified solicitor, may also do it.
The Probate Registry typically issues the grant within about three months (12 weeks) of the application, once the estate has been established and valued. Administering a simple estate usually takes about a year in all; it can take longer depending on the complexity of the estate and the co-operation of the parties involved.
Probate — assumptions, included and excluded
- 01A UK-domiciled deceased, assets in England and Wales only, no contested claims and no dispute between beneficiaries
- 02Includes: valuing the estate, the inheritance tax account, applying for the grant; estate administration then includes collecting in assets, paying debts and distributing
- 03Excludes: property sale conveyancing (quoted separately), tax returns for the estate beyond the IHT account, and any claim against the estate
Probate — key stages
- 01Establishing the estate: assets, liabilities and the will — 2 to 4 weeks
- 02Valuations and the inheritance tax position — 4 to 8 weeks; where the estate is not an excepted estate, the IHT400 account goes to HMRC before we apply
- 03Applying for the grant — usually within 12 weeks of the application, longer if the Probate Registry asks for more information
- 04Collecting in assets and settling liabilities — 2 to 4 months
- 05Estate accounts and distribution to beneficiaries — 1 to 2 months after the assets are in
UK companies and UK wills for clients anywhere.
Incorporation, statutory books, service address and nominee services for founders here and abroad; UK wills and powers of attorney for international private clients.
Company planning
| Setting up a UK limited entity | £144incl. VAT£120 + £24 VAT |
|---|---|
| UK service address and mail forwarding | £240 / yearincl. VAT£200 + £40 VAT |
| Maintaining statutory bookssubject to annual filing | £420 / yearincl. VAT£350 + £70 VAT |
| Corporate nominee serviceon request | £480 / yearincl. VAT£400 + £80 VAT |
Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath; third-party disbursements are extra, and each says whether VAT applies to it.
International private clients
| UK foreign willdepending on the assets and any foreign will it sits beside | from £420incl. VATfrom £350 + £70 VAT |
|---|---|
| UK foreign will — spouse mirrorfor the pair | from £660incl. VATfrom £550 + £110 VAT |
| UK service address and mail forwarding | £240 / yearincl. VAT£200 + £40 VAT |
| Ordinary power of attorney for property contracts | £240incl. VAT£200 + £40 VAT |
Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath; third-party disbursements are extra, and each says whether VAT applies to it.
Capped percentages for significant debts.
For business debts of £25,000 and above, a tiered percentage of the debt — initial advice on prospects is free, and fees paid up front are credited back to you on recovery. Below £25,000, our hourly rates, with each stage quoted before we start.
Debts of £25,000 or more — pre-court recovery
| £25,000 – £49,999 | 8% of the debt + VAT |
|---|---|
| £50,000 – £149,999 | 7% of the debt + VAT |
| £150,000 and above | 5% of the debt + VAT |
A tiered, capped percentage of the debt. Fees payable up front are quoted to you, always capped at the percentage, and credited back to you on recovery.
Debts of £25,000 or more — if court proceedings are needed
| £25,000 – £49,999 | 15% of the debt + VAT |
|---|---|
| £50,000 – £149,999 | 12.5% of the debt + VAT |
| £150,000 and above | 10% of the debt + VAT |
If you choose not to proceed, or nothing is recovered, the charge is the greater of £400 + VAT and what you have paid up front. Initial advice on prospects is free.
Debts below £25,000, and debts up to £100,000 generally
| Debts below £25,000, and any debt where the percentages do not applydepending on the nature of the case and the seniority of the person acting; we quote what each stage will cost before we start | Hourly rates, £145 – £350 |
|---|---|
| Range of costs, debts up to £100,000on a purely indicative basis, depending on the nature of any dispute and the instructions we receive | £500 to over £100,000 |
Plus court fees, which carry no VAT; VAT at 20% is added to our fees.
Court fees to issue a money claim (no VAT)
| Claim up to £10,000by band: £35 to £300, £50 to £500, £70 to £1,000, £80 to £1,500, £115 to £3,000, £205 to £5,000 and £455 to £10,000 — on the amount claimed including interest, the same online or on paper; court fees carry no VAT | up to £455 |
|---|---|
| Claim over £10,000, up to £200,000the claim including its interest, rounded down to the penny (no VAT) | 5% of the claim |
| Claim over £200,000the maximum issue fee (no VAT) | £10,000 |
Who does the work, and how long it takes
Qualified solicitors carry out most of the work. Legal executives and trainee solicitors, under the supervision of a qualified solicitor, may also do it.
Simple cases typically take 20 to 24 weeks; more complex matters can take considerably longer.
We do not provide a service according to price; we price according to the services provided, which depend on the circumstances and cannot be assessed until we have a basic understanding of the issues. Factors that affect the overall cost include inconvenient historical evidence, action taken before we were involved, documents inconsistent with the allegations made, and obstructive behaviour by the other side or its representatives.
Enforcement disbursements
- 01Warrant of control: £96 (county court); for High Court enforcement, £82 to seal a writ of control plus the enforcement officer's fees under the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014, recoverable from the debtor (court fees carry no VAT)
- 02Charging order: £139 application fee (no VAT); Land Registry fees at cost, no VAT
- 03Attachment of earnings: £139 application fee, no VAT
Assumptions, included and excluded
- 01VAT at 20% is charged on our fees and on most disbursements; court fees and enforcement fees carry no VAT
- 02Our fees are quoted before each stage, at our hourly rates, or capped at the percentages for a debt of £25,000 or more
- 03Counsel's and experts' fees, where they are needed, are quoted before they are incurred; their fees depend on their expertise and experience
- 04Defended claims, counterclaims, insolvency proceedings and appeals are quoted separately
Key stages and likely timescales
- 01Letter before action — the debtor has 30 days to respond if an individual or sole trader (Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims), usually 14 days if a company (Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct, para. 6(b))
- 02Issuing the claim — usually within a week or two of the deadline passing
- 03Judgment in default — where no acknowledgment of service or defence is received, 14 days after service
- 04Requesting payment on judgment — 14 days
- 05Enforcement, if the debt is still unpaid — 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the method
Other court fees
Hearing fee up to £1,334, by the track the claim is allocated to; a contested application £321. Court fees carry no VAT.
Use the debt recovery calculator →Visas, settlement, sponsor licences and appeals.
Fixed professional fees for every common application, shown including VAT; the Home Office's fees, the immigration health surcharge and any counsel's fees are extra.
Preliminary
| Initial consultation | £180incl. VAT£150 + £30 VAT |
|---|---|
| Review and checking service of an already-prepared application | £480incl. VAT£400 + £80 VAT |
| Apostilling / notarisation for reliance on documents abroad | £90 / documentincl. VAT£75 + £15 VAT |
General applications
| UK visitor visa | £1,080incl. VAT£900 + £180 VAT |
|---|---|
| Student visa | £1,500incl. VAT£1,250 + £250 VAT |
| Naturalisation / citizenship | £960incl. VAT£800 + £160 VAT |
| EU Settlement Scheme | £960incl. VAT£800 + £160 VAT |
| Extension based on long residence, including indefinite leave to remain | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
Family visas
| Spouse route | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
|---|---|
| Parent route | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
| Dependent child route | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
| Unmarried partner / fiancé route | £1,560incl. VAT£1,300 + £260 VAT |
| Adult dependent relative visa | £3,000incl. VAT£2,500 + £500 VAT |
Appeals and bespoke work
| Asylum claimsprice on application | from £2,640incl. VATfrom £2,200 + £440 VAT |
|---|---|
| Human rights applicationsprice on application | from £3,360incl. VATfrom £2,800 + £560 VAT |
| Deportationprice on application | from £3,360incl. VATfrom £2,800 + £560 VAT |
| Judicial reviewan estimate; price on application | £6,000incl. VAT£5,000 + £1,000 VAT |
Points-based system
| Innovator Founder (replaced the Entrepreneur and Start-up routes) | £7,200incl. VAT£6,000 + £1,200 VAT |
|---|---|
| Global Talent | £5,400incl. VAT£4,500 + £900 VAT |
| UK Expansion Worker (replaced the Sole Representative route) | £5,400incl. VAT£4,500 + £900 VAT |
| Settlement for the above, and for holders of the closed Investor and Entrepreneur routes | £4,800incl. VAT£4,000 + £800 VAT |
| Sponsor licence application | £7,200incl. VAT£6,000 + £1,200 VAT |
| Global Business Mobility — Senior or Specialist Worker (replaced the intra-company transfer) | £5,400incl. VAT£4,500 + £900 VAT |
| Skilled Worker — entry clearance, extension or settlement (main applicant) | £4,200incl. VAT£3,500 + £700 VAT |
| Dependants of a worker | £1,440 / applicantincl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
| Student visa (entry clearance) | £1,500incl. VAT£1,250 + £250 VAT |
| Student — extension | £1,020incl. VAT£850 + £170 VAT |
| Parent of a Child Student | £1,440incl. VAT£1,200 + £240 VAT |
| Graduate visa | £1,500incl. VAT£1,250 + £250 VAT |
| Temporary Work — Religious Worker, and the Youth Mobility Scheme | £2,160incl. VAT£1,800 + £360 VAT |
Our fees are shown including VAT at 20%, with the fee and the VAT beneath; third-party disbursements are extra, and each says whether VAT applies to it.
Home Office sponsor-licence fees
| Worker licence — small or charitable sponsorHome Office fee, no VAT | £611 |
|---|---|
| Worker licence — medium or large sponsorHome Office fee, no VAT | £1,682 |
| Temporary worker licenceHome Office fee, no VAT | £611 |
| Adding a worker licence to a temporary worker licence (medium/large)Home Office fee, no VAT | £1,071 |
Home Office fees, payable to the Home Office and carrying no VAT. Small or charitable sponsor: at least two of — Annual turnover of £15 million or less; Total assets of £7.5 million or less; 50 employees or fewer.
Every fixed fee includes
- Advice on the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet them
- Advice on, and consideration of, the evidence required
- Preparing and submitting the application and collating supporting documents
- Witness statements where appropriate
- Advice on the outcome and any further steps
Preparing and submitting your application to the Home Office takes between 1 and 6 weeks, depending on your location and how quickly we are instructed; the Home Office then has its own processing time, which changes with how busy it is — we can check its published processing times for you.
Who does the work, and how long it takes
Qualified solicitors carry out most of the work. Legal executives and trainee solicitors, under the supervision of a qualified solicitor, may also do it.
Key stages
- 01Advice on the requirements of the Immigration Rules, whether you meet them, and the evidence you need — in the first weeks after you instruct us
- 02Preparing your application and supporting documents and submitting it — between 1 and 6 weeks from instruction, depending on your location and how quickly we are instructed
- 03The Home Office's decision — its own processing time, which varies by route and with how busy it is; we can check its published processing times for you
- 04Advice on the outcome and any further steps — as soon as the decision arrives
Disbursements — likely figures
- 01Home Office application fees: from £135 (a standard visit visa, six months) to £3,635 (settlement as another dependant relative; £3,226 for most settlement applications) per applicant, no VAT — the Home Office table of 8 October 2026 (unchanged from 8 April 2026), checked 15 October 2026
- 02Home Office fees for the work and study routes, per applicant, no VAT (the same table): Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker £819 – £1,865 by length and where the application is made (£324 – £1,235 for a Health and Care visa or a job on the Immigration Salary List), Student £558, Youth Mobility Scheme £340, Innovator Founder £1,357 – £1,693, Global Talent £766, naturalisation £1,709 plus the £130 ceremony
- 03Immigration health surcharge: £1,035 per year of leave per applicant (£776 for students and their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and anyone under 18), no VAT — GOV.UK, checked 15 October 2026
- 04Interpreters, translations and expert reports, where your case needs them: we tell you what they will cost before they are incurred; VAT at 20% applies where the supplier charges it
Not included
- 01Appeals and administrative reviews (quoted separately)
- 02Applications that require more than one attendance at the Home Office
- 03Work following a refusal
An appeal to the First-tier Tribunal against a refusal of a human rights or protection claim. We price each appeal on application, from the starting figures below, and agree the fee with you before we start.
Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal
| Appeal on human rights grounds — including most visa and settlement refusalsprice on application | from £3,360incl. VATfrom £2,800 + £560 VAT |
|---|---|
| Appeal on protection (asylum) groundsprice on application | from £2,640incl. VATfrom £2,200 + £440 VAT |
Lodging within 14 days of the decision (28 days from outside the UK); the hearing is then listed by the tribunal, usually some months later, depending on the hearing centre.
Appeal — key stages
- 01Advice on the refusal and the grounds of appeal — straight away, as the time limit is short
- 02Lodging the appeal and paying the tribunal fee — within 14 days of the decision being sent (28 days if you are outside the UK)
- 03Preparing the evidence bundle and witness statements — in the weeks before the hearing, to the tribunal's directions
- 04The hearing, or the decision on the papers — the tribunal lists it, usually some months after lodging, depending on the hearing centre
- 05The decision, and advice on any onward appeal — permission to appeal must be sought within 14 days of the written reasons (28 days if you are outside the UK)
Appeal — disbursements
- 01Tribunal fee: £82 (paper) or £144 (oral hearing), no VAT
- 02If you have a hearing, there may be other costs, such as counsel's fees, interpreters' fees or expert reports; we tell you what they will be before they are incurred, and VAT at 20% applies where the supplier charges it
Appeal — not included
- 01Appeals to the Upper Tribunal and judicial review (quoted separately)
- 02Fresh applications made instead of, or after, the appeal
Unfair and wrongful dismissal, at our hourly rates.
Bringing or defending a claim: our hourly rates, with an estimate for each stage before we start — and the disbursements, people, stages and timescales the SRA Transparency Rules ask us to publish.
Unfair and wrongful dismissal claims — whether you are bringing one or defending one — are charged at our hourly rates, £145 to £350 + VAT depending on the seniority of the person acting. Before we start we give you an estimate of the cost of each stage, and we review it with you as the case develops.
Unfair and wrongful dismissal — bringing or defending a claim
| Bringing or defending an unfair or wrongful dismissal claiman estimate for each stage before we start, agreed with you and reviewed as the case develops | Hourly rates, £145 – £350 |
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VAT at 20% is added to our fees; the estimate for each stage is given to you in writing before the work starts.
Disbursements
- —There is no fee to bring a claim or to respond to one (no VAT)
- —Counsel's fees, where a barrister is instructed for a hearing — they depend on the barrister's expertise and experience, and we quote them before they are incurred, with VAT at 20% where it is charged
- —Expert evidence, where needed (medical evidence in a capability case, for example), quoted before it is instructed; travel and copying at cost, with VAT at 20% where the supplier charges it
Who does the work, and how long it takes
Qualified solicitors carry out most of the work. Legal executives and trainee solicitors, under the supervision of a qualified solicitor, may also do it.
From instruction to a final hearing often takes a year or more; tribunal listing times vary by region. A case settled during early conciliation can conclude within the conciliation period.
Our estimate excludes appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal and costs applications, each quoted separately.
Key stages
- 01Taking your instructions, reviewing the documents and advising on the merits and likely compensation — in the first weeks after you instruct us, and again as the case develops
- 02Early conciliation through Acas, which must come before most claims, and any settlement discussions — the conciliation period can last up to 12 weeks
- 03Preparing the claim (ET1) or the response (ET3) — within the time limit: six months less one day from a dismissal on or after 1 October 2026 (three months less one day for one before then), extended by early conciliation; a response is due 28 days after the claim is sent
- 04Preliminary hearing and case-management orders — usually a few months after the claim is lodged
- 05Disclosure and the agreed bundle — to the tribunal's directions
- 06Witness statements — yours and the other witnesses' — exchanged before the hearing, to the tribunal's directions
- 07Preparing for and attending the final hearing — listed by the tribunal, often a year or more after the claim, depending on the region
How we charge for commercial work.
Commercial matters are quoted individually. Hourly rates range from £145 to £350 depending on the nature of the case and seniority of the person acting; the basis of charging will be one of the following.
- Hourly Rate
- Price Estimate (Range)
- Success Fee
- Fixed Fee
- Staged Fixed Fees
- Bespoke Retainer
Bespoke retainer agreements for clients who require ongoing legal support — ideal for SMEs and high-value clients who need comprehensive, priority service across commercial areas.
- —A fixed monthly retainer gives you access to ongoing legal support
- —Ideal for SMEs and high-value clients needing consistent, priority service
- —Covers a wide range of commercial areas, from contracts to acquisitions
- —Top-ups only requested if work exceeds your monthly retainer
- —Fast response times and direct access to the legal team
- —We develop a deep understanding of your business to offer tailored advice
General information on fees
- —When you instruct us, we provide a tailored fee quote based on the nature of your matter.
- —Third-party fees (barristers, search fees, court fees) may apply and are payable in addition.
- —We may issue interim bills as work progresses; these are due immediately.
- —You remain liable for our fees regardless of outcome unless bespoke terms of engagement say otherwise.
- —Fees reflect the matter's value, complexity, time and urgency; unless agreed otherwise our charges are based on hourly rates provided up front.
- —If we agree a fixed fee or estimate, that amount applies, although it may be adjusted for complexity or changes during the matter — we notify you of any change in advance.
Work out your figure in seconds.
Four calculators built on these published fees — then get the fixed quote from a solicitor.
Our fees are as published on 15 October 2026, shown including VAT; disbursements are extra unless stated. The court, Land Registry, Home Office and other third-party fees and the tax rates quoted were last checked against their official sources on 15 October 2026. Your actual fee depends on the facts; we always agree it with you in writing first. For our complaints procedure and the Legal Ombudsman see our complaints procedure. Ai Law is regulated by the SRA (No. 670155).