The Guideline Hourly Rates have increased with effect from 1 January 2025.
In December 2023, the Master of the Rolls accepted the recommendations of the Civil Justice Council Costs Review, which was published in May 2023. One of the recommendations was to annually review and increase the Guideline Hourly Rates in accordance with the Services Producer Price Index (SPPI).
The Guideline Hourly Rates are now as follows (the brackets reflecting the rates effective from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024):
| Grade | Fee Earner | London 1 | London 2 | London 3 | National 1 | National 2 |
| A | Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years’ experience | £566
(£546) |
£413
(£398) |
£312
(£301) |
£288
(£278) |
£282
(£255) |
| B | Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years’ experience | £385
(£371) |
£319
(£308) |
£256
(£247) |
£242
(£233) |
£242
(£233) |
| C | Other solicitors or legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience | £299
(£288) |
£269
(£260) |
£204
(£197) |
£197
(£190) |
£196
(£189) |
| D | Trainee solicitors, paralegals and other fee earners | £205
(£198) |
£153
(£148) |
£143
(£138) |
£139
(£134) |
£139
(£134)
|
There has been an average of a 5% increase to Grade A rates and 4% increase to Grade B, Grade C and Grade D rates.
Ujjaini Mistry is a Paralegal in the Civil and Commercial Costs Team at Clarion Solicitors. You can contact the team at civilandcommercialcosts@clarionsolicitors.com