Fees & Costs: Employee Advice

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Employment Law Advice For Employees: Our Prices

At Lincs Law Employment Solicitors, we understand that instructing a solicitor can be daunting. Often our clients are already struggling with workplace problems and, so, worrying about legal fees to get the help they need just adds to the pressure. With our funding options and clear prices, you are always in full control. As you will see from the information below, we are completely transparent about our charges .

• The First Step: Free Enquiry
• Fixed Fee Consultation
• Fixed Fees
• Pay As You Go Fees
• Conditional Fee Agreement
• Legal Expenses Insurance Funding
• Damages Based Agreements (No Win, No Fee)
• Legal Aid
• Employment Tribunal – Funding Your Claim

The First Step: Free Enquiry

The first step is simply to contact us for a free enquiry. We are very happy to help in response to a telephone, email or web enquiry. We will take some basic information from you including your name, the name of your employer and brief details of your employment issue. We should be able to tell you, during your free enquiry, whether you should take the next step, which is a Fixed Fee Consultation. However, you are under no obligation to instruct us, we are happy to just provide some free guidance if that is all you need.

If you need help with an employment law problem, please call us on 01522 440512, use our webchat, send an email to contactus@lincslaw.co.uk or use the contact form on this website.

Fixed Fee Consultation

A Fixed Fee Consultation is your choice of a telephone, face to face or video appointment of up to 90 minutes with your chosen employment law specialist.  During the appointment, your specialist employment law solicitor will:-

1. Go through the full background of your situation and review up to 10 items of relevant documentation (By way of example, a document could be a contract of employment, a letter, an email, a report (without appendices), a statement, an Employment Tribunal Claim Form etc);
2. Discuss and identify your objectives – what do you want to achieve?
3. Identify any Employment Tribunal claims you may have so you know the strength of your position;
4. Provide an overview estimate of the value of your claims;
5. Discuss any relevant time limits you need to be aware of;
6. Identify and advise on the next steps you should take to put you in the best possible position;
7. Discuss the funding options available to you if we are able to assist going forward. (More information about possible funding is available on our website at https://lincslaw.co.uk/fees/employees/ ); and,
8. After the Fixed Fee Consultation, we will confirm our advice in full and in writing, so you have a comprehensive record of our discussions. 

You are under no obligation to instruct us to undertake any further work following the Fixed Fee Consultation. If the information provided in your assessment is all the help you need, that is no problem. If further assistance is required, funding options will be discussed with you (see this page for some of the options available).

The price of your Fixed Fee Consultation depends upon which of our solicitors you would like to instruct. Our fees are set out in the table below.

More information about our Specialist Employment Solicitors is available from our website at lincslaw.co.uk/about/our-team

If you would like to arrange a Fixed Fee Consultation, please call us on 01522 440512, use our online chat or fill out the contact form on this website. 

Fixed Fees

At your Fixed Fee Consultation, your Employment Solicitor will have discussed with you the next steps you need to take. The type of funding option available to you will depend upon what work is necessary; what stage you are at in any process; and, what you want to achieve.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be offered a Fixed Fee for a specific piece of work. For example, you might instruct your Employment Solicitor to draft your Employment Tribunal Claim Form. Your Employment Solicitor will agree a fixed price with you before you make any commitment.

Also, as the name suggests, the Fixed Fee is fixed and so you will only pay the agreed price for that piece of work. Many clients like the certainty of a Fixed Fee to help them budget for legal advice and assistance.

If you would like assistance with your employment law matter, please call us on 01522 440512, use our online chat or fill out the contact form on this website.

Pay As You Go Fees

At your Fixed Fee Consultation, your Employment Solicitor will have discussed with you the next steps you need to take. The type of funding option available to you will depend on what work is necessary; what stage you are at in any process; and, what you want to achieve.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be offered hourly rate, pay as you go funding. This might be for full representation all the way up to an Employment Tribunal hearing or might be for specific assistance, for example, advising and assisting through a disciplinary process. Whatever you have instructed your Employment Solicitor to do, they will provide an estimate of their fees before you make any commitment.

If you decide to instruct your Employment Solicitor using this arrangement, you will only pay for the work actually done on your matter. Often, your Employment Solicitor will be able to offer a capped fee arrangement which means you know the absolute maximum you will pay. Capped fees offer greater security as you might well pay less than the cap, but you will never pay more.

The hourly rate depends on the Employment Solicitor you instruct to help you.  Whoever you instruct will provide you with a monthly itemised invoice setting out what work has been undertaken on your matter. We are completely transparent about fees and set out our charges below:

More information about our Specialist Employment Solicitors is available from our website at lincslaw.co.uk/about/our-team If you would like assistance with your employment law matter, please call us on 01522 440512, use our online chat or fill out the contact form on this website.

Conditional Fee Agreement

At your Fixed Fee Consultation, your Employment Solicitor will have discussed with you the next steps you need to take. The type of funding option available to you will depend on what work is necessary; what stage you are at in any process; and, what you want to achieve.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be offered a Conditional Fee Agreement. This might be for full representation all the way up to an Employment Tribunal hearing or might be for specific assistance; for example, advising, assisting and negotiating through the ACAS Early Conciliation process.

A Conditional Fee Agreement works in a similar way to Hourly Rate Fees above. Whatever you have instructed your Employment Solicitor to do, they will provide an estimate of their fees before you make any commitment. Also, if you decide to instruct your Employment Solicitor using this arrangement, you will only pay their hourly rate for the work actually done on your matter. Hourly rates under a Conditional Fee Agreement are significantly lower than the standard hourly rates quoted for each of our Specialist Employment Solicitors (see below).

The main difference between Hourly Rate Fees and a Conditional Fee Agreement is that if your Employment Solicitor is successful in achieving the outcome you want; you will then pay a Success Fee. What constitutes success and triggers payment of the Success Fee will be agreed between you and your Employment Solicitor at the outset. As will the amount of the Success Fee. As ever, you will have the full terms of the funding option available for you to consider before you make any commitment.

The Conditional Fee Hourly Rate depends on the Employment Solicitor you instruct to help you. Whoever you instruct will provide you with a monthly itemised invoice setting out what work has been undertaken on your matter.  We are completely transparent about fees and set out our charges below:

More information about our Specialist Employment Solicitors is available from our website at lincslaw.co.uk/about/our-team If you would like assistance with your employment law matter, please call us on 01522 440512, use our online chat or fill out the contact form on this website.

Legal Expenses Insurance Funding

At your Fixed Fee Consultation, your Employment Solicitor will have discussed with you the next steps you need to take. If you are at the stage of starting an Employment Tribunal Claim, you may be able to utilise any Legal Expenses Insurance you may have.

Clients are sometimes unaware that they have legal expenses insurance as it is often an “add on” to other financial products such as home and contents insurance or fee-paying bank accounts.  For those clients who do have Legal Expenses Insurance, this insurance can be used towards the funding of your legal representation from submission of your claim all the way up to a final hearing. Often your insurance will cover all the costs of representation, however this is dependant upon your particular policy and the solicitor you have chosen to instruct.

We also assist our clients to obtain funding from their insurer in order to pursue their Employment Tribunal claim.

If you would like assistance with your employment law matter, please call us on 01522 440512, use our online chat or fill out the contact form on this website.

Damages Based Agreements (No Win, No Fee)

At your Fixed Fee Consultation, your Employment Solicitor may suggest your matter is suitable for a Damages Based Agreement (or “No win, No fee”). This option is not available to every client. For example, we do not offer these types of funding arrangements for general employment law advice or representation outside of Employment Tribunal litigation.

Damages Based Agreements (No Win, No Fee) are only offered to clients for representation at their final hearing and who meet the following criteria:

• they have submitted a claim to the Employment Tribunal; and,
• their Employers have submitted a Response; and,
• all Preliminary Hearings have been attended; and,
• all Employment Tribunal orders (bundle, witness statements, schedule of loss etc) have been complied with; and,
• the matter has been assessed as having good prospects of success at a Fixed Fee Consultation by one of our Employment Solicitors.

Essentially, the way such arrangements work is that you are not required to pay us for our work unless or until we win a settlement for you or win your Employment Tribunal hearing. If we do win a settlement or the hearing for you, we retain up to 35% of all and any monies you receive to cover our fees.

If you would like assistance with your employment law matter, please call us on 01522 440512, use our online chat or fill out the contact form on this website.

Legal Aid

Lincs Law Employment Solicitors are unable to offer Legal Aid as a funding option. If you believe you may be eligible for legal aid you should first visit www.gov.uk/legal-aid/overview.

Employment Tribunal – Funding Your Claim

The cost of funding your Employment Tribunal claim will depend upon the complexity of your matter and the funding option you choose. Your Employment Solicitor will discuss those options with you at your Fixed Fee Consultation.

Recovery of Legal Fees & Costs At The Employment Tribunal

It is important to note that at the Employment Tribunal you will usually be responsible for your own costs and it is only in very rare circumstances that your opponent will be ordered to pay your legal fees. Therefore, you should expect to be responsible for your own legal fees and ensure you make informed choices when considering your funding options (please see the options offered by Lincs Law Employment Solicitors above).

Key Stages Of An Employment Tribunal Claim

Most Employment Tribunals follow a structured process to completion and/or a Final Hearing. Below is a summary of the work which is likely to be required in an Employment Tribunal claim:-

• Drafting and submission of your Employment Tribunal Claim Form;
• Review and consideration of any defence submitted by the Respondent (the person/employer the claim is against) in their Employment Tribunal Response Form;
• Completion of a statement of the compensation you are seeking (Schedule of Loss);
• Review, consideration and disclosure to the Respondent of all relevant documentation;
• Review and consideration of any disclosure from the Respondent;
• Compilation of a bundle of documents for the Final Hearing;
• Drafting and submission of witness statements (including you as the Claimant);
• Review and consideration of any witness statements received from the Respondent;
• Preparation for the Final Hearing of your matter (including preparation of List of Issues, Chronology and/or Cast List if required);
• Representation at any Preliminary Hearing (if required);
• Representation at the Final Hearing;
• Representation at any Remedy Hearing (if required);
• Ongoing advice and assistance generally; and,
• Ongoing advice and assistance regarding settlement (if required)

The timescales for your matter will depend on the complexity of your claim, Employment Tribunal Case Management Orders and the Employment Tribunal region to which your claim is allocated.  It is difficult to predict, but we would expect most claims to take 6 to 24 months from issue of Employment Tribunal Claim Form to Final Hearing.

Guides For Fees & Costs For An Employment Tribunal Claim

We set out below possible fees for simple, moderately complex and complex claims. Our fees are set out with the full and net amount with VAT @ 20%.

Please note, the guides below assume your Employment Tribunal matter progresses all the way to a Final Hearing. However, a significant majority of cases settle long before a Final Hearing is necessary and, in such circumstances, we are unlikely to reach the level of costs suggested below.

Guide For Fees & Costs For A Simple Claim

We would describe a simple claim as one where the issues are straightforward and the Final Hearing will take a day or less.  Many claims for pay (unpaid salary, holiday pay, notice pay (wrongful dismissal)) and unfair dismissal where there are few witnesses involved, would fall into this category. 

As a guide, the costs likely to be incurred for a matter with a one-day Final Hearing are:

• Fixed Fee Consultation: £480 to £720 (being £400 to £600 plus VAT @ 20%) depending on the level of solicitor instructed.
• Employment Tribunal Representation (assuming matter reaches stage of Final Hearing of one day or less). Please see above for more information about the various funding options:
  • Funding Option: Pay As You Go: £4,200 to £6,000 (being £3,500 to £5,000 plus VAT @ 20%) depending on the level of solicitor instructed.
  • Funding Option: Conditional Fee Agreement: £2,400 to £4,200 (being £2,000 to £3,500 plus VAT @ 20%) for hourly rate work depending on the level of solicitor instructed. In the event the matter is successfully concluded, there will also be a success fee which would have been agreed with you at the outset of your Conditional Fee Agreement instruction. Success Fees are likely to be between £1,800 and £4,800 (being £1,500 to £4,000 plus VAT at 20%)
  • Funding Option: Legal Expenses Insurance: Your insurance company will usually pay our fees, although this will be dependant upon the terms of your particular policy and the solicitor you have chosen. Also, depending on the rates offered by your insurers, there may be a “top up” payment necessary for your chosen solicitor.  Finally, and again dependant on the terms of your policy, there may be a claim excess to pay  (usually £250 to £500 but please see your insurance policy documents).  
  • Funding Option: Damages Based Agreement: You will not be required to make any up front or as you go payment for our work and representation (other than the Fixed Fee Consultation). However, we will retain up to 35% (inclusive of VAT @ 20%) of any settlement or award. Also, you will be responsible for any disbursements, please see below.
• Disbursements: These would be unlikely for a simple claim but please see below.

Guide For Fee & Costs For A Moderately Complex Claim

Moderately complex claims would be wrongful or unfair dismissal claims where there is an added element, for example redundancy selection, extensive disciplinary processes, additional witnesses etc.  This could also include pay claims where significant witness evidence is needed or there are complex technical aspects to pay calculations.  The Final Hearing will take two days or less.

As a guide, the costs likely to be incurred for a matter with a two-day Final Hearing are:

• Fixed Fee Consultation: £480 to £720 (being £400 to £600 plus VAT @ 20%) depending on the level of solicitor instructed.
• Employment Tribunal Representation (assuming matter reaches stage of Final Hearing of two days). Please see above for more information about the various funding options:
  • Funding Option: Pay As You Go: £7,350 to £10,500 (being £6,125 to £8,750 plus VAT @ 20%) depending on the level of solicitor instructed.
  • Funding Option: Conditional Fee Agreement: £4,200 to £7,350 (being £3,500 to £6,125 plus VAT @ 20%) for hourly rate work depending on the level of solicitor instructed. In the event the matter is successfully concluded, there will also be a success fee which would have been agreed with you at the outset of your Conditional Fee Agreement instruction. Success Fees are likely to be between £1,800 and £4,800 (being £1,500 to £4,000 plus VAT at 20%)
  • Funding Option: Legal Expenses Insurance: Your insurance company will usually pay our fees, although this will be dependant upon the terms of your particular policy and the solicitor you have chosen. Also, depending on the rates offered by your insurers, there may be a “top up” payment necessary for your chosen solicitor.  Finally, and again dependant on the terms of your policy, there may be a claim excess to pay  (usually £250 to £500 but please see your insurance policy documents).  
  • Funding Option: Damages Based Agreement: You will not be required to make any up front or as you go payment for our work and representation (other than the Fixed Fee Consultation). However, we will retain up to 35% (inclusive of VAT @ 20%) of any settlement or award. Also, you will be responsible for any disbursements, please see below.
• Disbursements: Dependent on the type of claim expert reports may be needed. Please see below.

Guide For Fees & Costs For A Complex Claim

Complex claims would include elements of discrimination, whistleblowing etc.  Such claims may well include unfair or wrongful dismissal, however, there are likely to be other factors to be considered.  We would expect such claims to require at least one Preliminary Hearing and the Final Hearing is likely to be for three days or more (depending on the issues and the amount of documentary and witness evidence).

As a guide, costs likely to be incurred for a matter with a three-day Final Hearing are:

• Fixed Fee Consultation: £600 to £720 (being £500 to £600 plus VAT @ 20%) assuming level of solicitor instructed is Associate or Director.
• Employment Tribunal Representation (assuming matter reaches stage of Final Hearing of three days). Please see above for more information about the various funding options:
  • Funding Option: Pay As You Go: £15,750 to £22,500 (being £13,125 to £18,750 plus VAT @ 20%) depending on the level of solicitor instructed.
  • Funding Option: Conditional Fee Agreement: £9,500 to £15,750 (being £7,500 to £13,125 plus VAT @ 20%) for hourly rate work depending on the level of solicitor instructed. In the event the matter is successfully concluded, there will also be a success fee which would have been agreed with you at the outset of your Conditional Fee Agreement instruction. Success Fees are likely to be between £6,000 and £12,000 (being £5,000 to £10,000 plus VAT at 20%)
  • Funding Option: Legal Expenses Insurance: Your insurance company will usually pay our fees, although this will be dependant upon the terms of your particular policy and the solicitor you have chosen. Also, depending on the rates offered by your insurers, there may be a “top up” payment necessary for your chosen solicitor.  Finally, and again dependant on the terms of your policy, there may be a claim excess to pay  (usually £250 to £500 but please see your insurance policy documents).  
  • Funding Option: Damages Based Agreement: You will not be required to make any up front or as you go payment for our work and representation (other than the Fixed Fee Consultation). However, we will retain up to 35% (inclusive of VAT @ 20%) of any settlement or award. Also, you will be responsible for any disbursements, please see below.
• Disbursements: We would expect a barrister would need to be instructed for a complex matter. Fees are likely to be £3,600 to £9,000 (being £3,000 to £7,500 plus VAT @ 20%) for a three-day Final Hearing.  Depending on the particular type of claim expert reports may also be needed, please see below.

Disbursements

As will be noted above, to pursue some claims (usually more complex matters), you may incur disbursements.  These are fees and costs related to your matter where it has been necessary to engage or seek information from a professional third party.  For example, you might need to instruct a barrister, a medical report might be needed, a financial expert report might be necessary to prove your losses etc.  Obviously, the type of disbursements you incur will relate to your particular matter and your solicitor will advise and provide specific quotes before you make any commitment.  However, to give an indication of some common disbursements:

• Barrister’s fees (per day): £1,200 to £3,000 (being £1,000 to £2,500 plus VAT @ 20%)
• Medical reports: £1,500 to £6,000 (being £1,250 to £5,000 plus VAT @ 20%)
• Financial expert reports: £2,400 to £6,000 (being £2,000 to £5,000 plus VAT @ 20%)

Other Matters To Consider

As much as we hope the guides above assist, so much is dependent on your particular circumstances and claim.  Your solicitor will give you an estimate of fees and costs for your specific matter.  Please be aware, there are factors which could make your claim more complicated, for example:

• If there are additional matters to your unfair or wrongful dismissal (outstanding pay etc) or the dismissal gives rise to claims of whistleblowing, discrimination etc.
• If applications are made by the Respondent in the course of the proceedings, for example, for additional disclosure, further & better particulars, strike out etc.
• If there are preliminary issues, for example jurisdiction matters about length of service.
• If there is a significant amount of documentary evidence and/or numbers of witnesses involved.

Supervision

All our solicitors are supervised by Sally Hubbard, Managing Director.  Sally Hubbard is supervised by Sophie Goodwill, Director.  Further information about the solicitors at Lincs Law Employment Solicitors can be found on our website at https://lincslaw.co.uk/about/our-team/