What Applied on Your Date
What applied on 25 October 2026.
Guideline hourly rates
Guideline hourly rates 2026 (in force from 1 January 2026). source
| Band | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Grade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London 1 | £579 | £393 | £305 | £210 |
| London 2 | £422 | £327 | £276 | £157 |
| London 3 | £319 | £262 | £209 | £146 |
| National 1 | £295 | £247 | £201 | £142 |
| National 2 | £288 | £247 | £200 | £142 |
GHR locality bands from 1 October 2021 (London 1 is a work type, not a postcode).
Rates
- VAT standard rate: 20% source
- Bank of England Bank Rate: 3.75%
- Court Funds Office special account rate: 3.75%
- County Court judgments carry interest only if for £5,000 or more (judgments given on or after 1 July 1991) source
- Judgment debt interest 8% a year (judgments entered after 1 April 1993) source
- County Court judgments for Late Payment Act qualifying debts carry interest whatever the amount source
- Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998: staged commencement by type of contract (contracts made on or after each date) source
- Late Payment Act fixed compensation sums: £40 (debt under £1,000), £70 (£1,000 to under £10,000), £100 (£10,000 or more) source
- Late Payment Act statutory interest rate: 8% over the reference rate (Bank Rate on 30 June or 31 December before interest starts) source
- Late Payment Act: reasonable costs of recovery beyond the fixed sum (contracts made on or after 16 March 2013) source
- County Court: court may order judgment interest to run from another date, including before judgment source
Court fees
- Fee 1.8(b): Application for an order under Part 3 of the Solicitors Act 1974 for assessment of a solicitor's bill, or starting costs-only proceedings: £69 source
- Fee 2.1(a): Hearing fee, intermediate track or multi-track case: payable on the court fixing a trial date or trial period: £1,334 source
- Fee 2.1(b): Hearing fee, fast track case: payable on the court fixing a trial date or trial period: £619 source
- Fee 2.4(a): General application on notice where no other fee is specified (other than a fee 2.4(b) application): £321 source
- Fee 2.5(a): General application by consent or without notice where no other fee is specified (other than a fee 2.5(b) application): £126 source
- Fee 5.3: Request for the issue of a default costs certificate: £82 source
- Fee 5.4: Commencing an appeal against a decision made in detailed assessment proceedings: £290 source
- Fee 5.6: Request or application for a fixed costs determination: £408 source
Request for a detailed assessment hearing (fee 5.2), by the costs claimed:
- costs claimed does not exceed £15,000: £398
- costs claimed exceeds £15,000 but does not exceed £50,000: £801
- costs claimed exceeds £50,000 but does not exceed £100,000: £1,192
- costs claimed exceeds £100,000 but does not exceed £150,000: £1,595
- costs claimed exceeds £150,000 but does not exceed £200,000: £1,992
- costs claimed exceeds £200,000 but does not exceed £300,000: £2,988
- costs claimed exceeds £300,000 but does not exceed £500,000: £4,980
- costs claimed exceeds £500,000: £6,640
Small claims track limits
- Housing disrepair (tenant seeking an order for repairs): repairs estimated at not more than £1,000 AND other damages not more than £1,000 source
- Small claims track: recoverable expert fee cap raised from £200 to £750 (from 1 April 2013) source
- Small claims track general limit £10,000 (claims issued on or after 1 April 2013) source
- Personal injury claims: overall claim value limit £10,000 (claims issued on or after 1 April 2013) source
- RTA whiplash claims by children or protected parties (accident on or after 31 May 2021): fast track, never small claims track source
- RTA personal injury on or after 31 May 2021 in excepted cases (vulnerable road users etc.): PSLA limit £1,000 source
- RTA personal injury, accident on or after 31 May 2021: PSLA limit £5,000 (whiplash reforms) source
- Personal injury (non-RTA): PSLA limit £1,500 (cause of action or date of knowledge on or after 6 April 2022) source
- Wales (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016): contract-holder repairs claims, repairs not more than £1,000 AND other damages not more than £1,000 source
- October 2023: CPR Part 26 substituted; small claims limits renumbered without change of figures source
Costs rules in force
- Fast track upper limit £25,000 (proceedings issued on or after 6 April 2009; £15,000 before) source
- ATE insurance premiums no longer recoverable (policies taken out on or after 1 April 2013) source
- Clinical negligence: ATE premium for expert reports on liability or causation remains recoverable (policies from 1 April 2013) source
- Exception: mesothelioma claims, success fees and ATE premiums still recoverable (no end date) source
- Exception: publication and privacy proceedings, ATE premiums STILL recoverable (s.46 never commenced for them) source
- LASPO 2012 Part 2 costs reforms (ss.44-47) in force 1 April 2013 source
- Part 36: claimant's additional amount (10%, capped at £75,000) where a claimant's offer is beaten, for offers made on or after 1 April 2013 source
- New proportionality test (CPR 44.3(2)(a) and (5)): cases commenced on or after 1 April 2013, and only for work done from that date source
- Provisional assessment of bills up to £75,000 (detailed assessment proceedings commenced on or after 1 April 2013) source
- Qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) in personal injury and fatal accident claims, from 1 April 2013 source
- CFA success fees no longer recoverable from the paying party (CFAs entered into on or after 1 April 2013) source
- Costs management from 22 April 2014: all Part 7 multi-track cases except claims of £10 million or more source
- Part 36 rewritten: new Part 36 applies to offers made on or after 6 April 2015 source
- Costs management: claims by or for a child excluded (proceedings commenced on or after 6 April 2016) source
- Electronic bill (Precedent S) mandatory in Part 7 multi-track claims for work undertaken after 6 April 2018 source
- Proportionality factor added: work or expense due to the vulnerability of a party or witness (CPR 44.3(5)(f)) source
- Whiplash reform: RTA Small Claims Protocol and Official Injury Claim portal for road traffic accidents on or after 31 May 2021 source
- QOCS amendments, 6 April 2023: enforcement against settlements and costs orders as well as damages (claims issued on or after 6 April 2023) source
- Extended FRC / intermediate track transitional rule: disease claims, no letter of claim sent before 1 October 2023 source
- Extended fixed recoverable costs and the intermediate track (claims up to £100,000), from 1 October 2023 source
- Extended FRC / intermediate track transitional rule: personal injury (non-disease) claims, cause of action on or after 1 October 2023 source
- Whiplash tariff damages, uprated (Table 2): causes of action on or after 31 May 2025 source
Guideline Hourly Rates Since 2010
The solicitors’ guideline hourly rates by table. The bands changed meaning in October 2021: under the 2010 table London 1 meant City postcodes; from 2021 it means very heavy commercial and corporate work.
Guideline hourly rates 2026 (in force from 1 January 2026)
| Band | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Grade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London 1 | £579 | £393 | £305 | £210 |
| London 2 | £422 | £327 | £276 | £157 |
| London 3 | £319 | £262 | £209 | £146 |
| National 1 | £295 | £247 | £201 | £142 |
| National 2 | £288 | £247 | £200 | £142 |
Guideline hourly rates 2025 (in force 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025)
| Band | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Grade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London 1 | £566 | £385 | £299 | £205 |
| London 2 | £413 | £319 | £269 | £153 |
| London 3 | £312 | £256 | £204 | £143 |
| National 1 | £288 | £242 | £197 | £139 |
| National 2 | £282 | £242 | £196 | £139 |
Guideline hourly rates 2024 (in force 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024)
| Band | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Grade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London 1 | £546 | £371 | £288 | £198 |
| London 2 | £398 | £308 | £260 | £148 |
| London 3 | £301 | £247 | £197 | £138 |
| National 1 | £278 | £233 | £190 | £134 |
| National 2 | £272 | £233 | £189 | £134 |
Guideline hourly rates 2021 (in force 1 October 2021 to 31 December 2023)
| Band | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Grade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London 1 | £512 | £348 | £270 | £186 |
| London 2 | £373 | £289 | £244 | £139 |
| London 3 | £282 | £232 | £185 | £129 |
| National 1 | £261 | £218 | £178 | £126 |
| National 2 | £255 | £218 | £177 | £126 |
Guideline hourly rates 2010 (in force 1 April 2010 to 30 September 2021)
| Band | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Grade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London 1 | £409 | £296 | £226 | £138 |
| London 2 | £317 | £242 | £196 | £126 |
| London 3 | £229–£267 | £172–£229 | £165 | £121 |
| National 1 | £217 | £192 | £161 | £118 |
| National 2 | £201 | £177 | £146 | £111 |
Court Fees Since 2014
The fees costs work meets most, from Schedule 1 to the Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008, with the date each amount took effect. For today’s fee on any claim, use the civil court fees calculator.
| Fee | What it covers | Amounts from |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4(a) | General application on notice where no other fee is specified (other than a fee 2.4(b) application). | 22 April 2014: £155 21 March 2016: £255 30 September 2021: £275 1 May 2024: £303 8 April 2025: £313 13 July 2026: £321 |
| 2.5(a) | General application by consent or without notice where no other fee is specified (other than a fee 2.5(b) application). | 22 April 2014: £50 21 March 2016: £100 30 September 2021: £108 1 May 2024: £119 8 April 2025: £123 13 July 2026: £126 |
| 2.1(b) | Hearing fee, fast track case: payable on the court fixing a trial date or trial period. | 22 April 2014: £545 8 April 2025: £619 |
| 2.1(a) | Hearing fee, intermediate track or multi-track case: payable on the court fixing a trial date or trial period. | 22 April 2014: £1,090 30 September 2021: £1,175 8 April 2025: £1,334 |
| 5.3 | Request for the issue of a default costs certificate. | 22 April 2014: £60 25 July 2016: £66 30 September 2021: £71 1 May 2024: £78 8 April 2025: £80 13 July 2026: £82 |
| 5.4 | Commencing an appeal against a decision made in detailed assessment proceedings. | 22 April 2014: £210 25 July 2016: £231 30 September 2021: £249 1 May 2024: £274 8 April 2025: £283 13 July 2026: £290 |
| 5.6 | Request or application for a fixed costs determination. | 8 April 2025: £398 13 July 2026: £408 |
| 1.8(b) | Application for an order under Part 3 of the Solicitors Act 1974 for assessment of a solicitor's bill, or starting costs-only proceedings. | 22 April 2014: £50 25 July 2016: £55 30 September 2021: £59 1 May 2024: £65 8 April 2025: £67 13 July 2026: £69 |
Request for a detailed assessment hearing (fee 5.2)
| Costs claimed | From 22 April 2014 | From 25 July 2016 | From 30 September 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| costs claimed does not exceed £15,000 | £335 | £369 | £398 |
| costs claimed exceeds £15,000 but does not exceed £50,000 | £675 | £743 | £801 |
| costs claimed exceeds £50,000 but does not exceed £100,000 | £1,005 | £1,106 | £1,192 |
| costs claimed exceeds £100,000 but does not exceed £150,000 | £1,345 | £1,480 | £1,595 |
| costs claimed exceeds £150,000 but does not exceed £200,000 | £1,680 | £1,848 | £1,992 |
| costs claimed exceeds £200,000 but does not exceed £300,000 | £2,520 | £2,772 | £2,988 |
| costs claimed exceeds £300,000 but does not exceed £500,000 | £4,200 | £4,620 | £4,980 |
| costs claimed exceeds £500,000 | £5,600 | £6,160 | £6,640 |
VAT, Interest and Small Claims Limits
- VAT standard rate 17.5% (from 1 April 1991). Source
- VAT standard rate 15% (temporary reduction, 1 December 2008 to 31 December 2009). Source
- VAT standard rate 17.5% (restored 1 January 2010). Source
- VAT standard rate 20% (from 4 January 2011). Source
- Judgment debt interest 15% a year (judgments entered after 16 April 1985 and before 1 April 1993). Source
- County Court judgments carry interest only if for £5,000 or more (judgments given on or after 1 July 1991). Source
- Judgment debt interest 8% a year (judgments entered after 1 April 1993). Source
- County Court judgments for Late Payment Act qualifying debts carry interest whatever the amount. Source
- Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998: staged commencement by type of contract (contracts made on or after each date). Source
- Late Payment Act statutory interest rate: 8% over the Bank of England official dealing rate (1 November 1998 to 6 August 2002). Source
- Late Payment Act fixed compensation sums: £40 (debt under £1,000), £70 (£1,000 to under £10,000), £100 (£10,000 or more). Source
- Late Payment Act statutory interest rate: 8% over the reference rate (Bank Rate on 30 June or 31 December before interest starts). Source
- Late Payment Act: reasonable costs of recovery beyond the fixed sum (contracts made on or after 16 March 2013). Source
- County Court: court may order judgment interest to run from another date, including before judgment. Source
- Small claims track general limit £5,000 (claims issued before 1 April 2013). Source
- Housing disrepair (tenant seeking an order for repairs): repairs estimated at not more than £1,000 AND other damages not more than £1,000. Source
- Personal injury (non-RTA, and all PI before 31 May 2021): PSLA limit £1,000. Source
- Personal injury claims: overall claim value limit £5,000 (claims issued before 1 April 2013). Source
- RTA personal injury, accident before 31 May 2021: PSLA limit £1,000. Source
- Small claims track: recoverable expert fee cap raised from £200 to £750 (from 1 April 2013). Source
- Small claims track general limit £10,000 (claims issued on or after 1 April 2013). Source
- Personal injury claims: overall claim value limit £10,000 (claims issued on or after 1 April 2013). Source
- RTA whiplash claims by children or protected parties (accident on or after 31 May 2021): fast track, never small claims track. Source
- RTA personal injury on or after 31 May 2021 in excepted cases (vulnerable road users etc.): PSLA limit £1,000. Source
- RTA personal injury, accident on or after 31 May 2021: PSLA limit £5,000 (whiplash reforms). Source
- Personal injury (non-RTA): PSLA limit £1,500 (cause of action or date of knowledge on or after 6 April 2022). Source
- Wales (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016): contract-holder repairs claims, repairs not more than £1,000 AND other damages not more than £1,000. Source
- October 2023: CPR Part 26 substituted; small claims limits renumbered without change of figures. Source
Costs Rules: When Each Started
- 6 April 2009: Fast track upper limit £25,000 (proceedings issued on or after 6 April 2009; £15,000 before). Source
- 1 April 2013: ATE insurance premiums no longer recoverable (policies taken out on or after 1 April 2013). Source
- 1 April 2013: Clinical negligence: ATE premium for expert reports on liability or causation remains recoverable (policies from 1 April 2013). Source
- 1 April 2013: Costs management (budgeting): multi-track cases commenced on or after 1 April 2013. Source
- 1 April 2013: Exception: insolvency proceedings, success fees and ATE premiums recoverable until LASPO ss.44 and 46 applied on 6 April 2016. Source
- 1 April 2013: Exception: mesothelioma claims, success fees and ATE premiums still recoverable (no end date). Source
- 1 April 2013: Exception: publication and privacy proceedings, ATE premiums STILL recoverable (s.46 never commenced for them). Source
- 1 April 2013: Exception: publication and privacy proceedings, success fees recoverable until LASPO s.44 applied on 6 April 2019. Source
- 1 April 2013: LASPO 2012 Part 2 costs reforms (ss.44-47) in force 1 April 2013. Source
- 1 April 2013: Part 36: claimant's additional amount (10%, capped at £75,000) where a claimant's offer is beaten, for offers made on or after 1 April 2013. Source
- 1 April 2013: New proportionality test (CPR 44.3(2)(a) and (5)): cases commenced on or after 1 April 2013, and only for work done from that date. Source
- 1 April 2013: Provisional assessment of bills up to £75,000 (detailed assessment proceedings commenced on or after 1 April 2013). Source
- 1 April 2013: Qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) in personal injury and fatal accident claims, from 1 April 2013. Source
- 1 April 2013: CFA success fees no longer recoverable from the paying party (CFAs entered into on or after 1 April 2013). Source
- 22 April 2014: Costs management from 22 April 2014: all Part 7 multi-track cases except claims of £10 million or more. Source
- 6 April 2015: Part 36 rewritten: new Part 36 applies to offers made on or after 6 April 2015. Source
- 6 April 2016: Costs management: claims by or for a child excluded (proceedings commenced on or after 6 April 2016). Source
- 7 April 2018: Electronic bill (Precedent S) mandatory in Part 7 multi-track claims for work undertaken after 6 April 2018. Source
- 6 April 2021: Proportionality factor added: work or expense due to the vulnerability of a party or witness (CPR 44.3(5)(f)). Source
- 31 May 2021: Whiplash reform: RTA Small Claims Protocol and Official Injury Claim portal for road traffic accidents on or after 31 May 2021. Source
- 31 May 2021: Whiplash tariff damages (Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021, Table 1): causes of action on or after 31 May 2021 and before 31 May 2025. Source
- 6 April 2023: QOCS amendments, 6 April 2023: enforcement against settlements and costs orders as well as damages (claims issued on or after 6 April 2023). Source
- 1 October 2023: Extended FRC / intermediate track transitional rule: disease claims, no letter of claim sent before 1 October 2023. Source
- 1 October 2023: Extended fixed recoverable costs and the intermediate track (claims up to £100,000), from 1 October 2023. Source
- 1 October 2023: Extended FRC / intermediate track transitional rule: personal injury (non-disease) claims, cause of action on or after 1 October 2023. Source
- 31 May 2025: Whiplash tariff damages, uprated (Table 2): causes of action on or after 31 May 2025. Source
How to Use This Page
It shows the published figures and commencement dates in force on a date. It doesn’t decide which rates, fees or rules apply to particular work: that depends on the claim, the work and its dates, and some changes have transitional rules (listed above). Check the rule for your case before relying on a figure.