Costs and Fees
The Government is in the process of making the Court system in England and Wales financially self-supporting. As a result a number of Court fees have been increased. Each step in an action requires a fee to be paid to the Lord Chancellor's Department. Click here for details of current fees in Family cases.
Most solicitors charge for their work at an hourly rate. VAT is added to that hourly rate. The hourly rate varies depending upon the skill and experience of the individual solicitor. Each year County Courts across England and Wales fix an hourly rate for different levels of fee earner which is the maximum amount that can be recovered by the successful party from the unsuccessful party in proceedings in that Court.
Every time you go to Court the Judge has to consider which, if any, party should be responsible for paying the costs of that hearing. If you or the other party has acted unreasonably or has made an application which is unsuccessful the Judge can award costs against the unsuccessful party.
Although solicitors charge for their work on the basis of an hourly rate most of them will be prepared to give you a fixed quote for the divorce. Since resolving the financial issues can be more complicated and affected by the intransigence of your opponent, most are reluctant to quote a "fixed fee" for sorting out the finances. As Court procedures become more streamlined this may become more popular.