Solicitor Fee Estimate Calculator

Solicitors' fees in the UK swing widely with location, the seniority of whoever does the work and the type of matter. Conveyancing typically costs between £850 and £1,800 plus VAT, with disbursements such as local searches and Land Registry fees on top. Probate is often charged as a percentage of the estate, commonly 1% to 4% of its value, though many firms now offer a fixed fee for simpler estates. Whatever the headline, the question to ask is whether VAT and disbursements are included, because a quote that excludes both can be badly misleading.

Three billing models cover most work. Fixed fees have become standard for predictable matters such as conveyancing, straightforward wills and uncontested divorce, and they let you compare quotes directly. Hourly rates apply to litigation and anything complex, running from £150 to over £500 an hour in provincial firms and from £400 to £1,500 at London magic circle practices. Conditional fee agreements are the norm in personal injury, where the solicitor takes 25% of damages if the claim succeeds and nothing if it fails. Hybrid arrangements combine a capped hourly rate with a success fee.

Typical quotes give a useful sense of scale before you start ringing round. A basic will costs £150 to £300, rising to £500 to £2,000 once trusts are involved. An uncontested no-fault divorce is usually £600 to £1,500 in fees, plus the £628 court fee, while a contested one starts around £5,000 and can pass £100,000. Road traffic personal injury work is done on a no win no fee basis at 25% of damages. Family work under the Children Act is billed hourly at £200 to £500.

Solicitors are not free to bill whatever they like. The Solicitors Regulation Authority requires the best possible information about likely costs at the outset and as the matter progresses, so you should be told promptly if an estimate is going to be exceeded, and you are entitled to an itemised bill at completion, with a right to have it assessed by the court if you dispute it. Hourly billing has to show the time spent on each task, the rate charged, and disbursements such as court and search fees listed separately. Time is usually recorded in 6 minute units, so a single unit costs £30 at a £300 an hour rate, and small tasks add up faster than most clients expect.

Several things genuinely bring the bill down. Choosing a fixed fee where one is available removes the risk of an open-ended hourly charge. Online firms such as Conveyancing Direct and Slater and Gordon often come in 30% to 50% below high street rates. Some work can reasonably be done yourself, including applying for probate yourself through gov.uk (the court fee is £526 on estates over £5,000 and nothing below), a simple uncontested divorce through the online service, and a basic will through an online provider for £30 to £100. For family disputes, mediation before court costs 50% to 80% less than fighting the matter out.

Legal aid is far narrower than most people assume, having been cut back sharply by LASPO in 2013. It remains available for cases involving serious domestic violence, some Children Act proceedings, severe immigration cases and mental health tribunals. Most civil and family matters no longer qualify at all. Where it does apply it is means tested, with gross income usually needing to be under £32,000, and Legal Help for advice alone may carry a contribution of £80 to £200. Citizens Advice and Law Centres give free guidance in many situations, and eligibility is worth checking before you pay privately.