PRICE GUIDE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL · 2026–2027
Solicitor cost in the UK
£140–£579 per hour. Typically £250.
A solicitor costs £140–£579 per hour in the UK, with about £250 a typical hourly rate. Junior solicitors and firms outside the big cities are cheapest; senior partners in central London charge the most, and many everyday matters are offered at a fixed fee instead.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a solicitor cost in the UK?
| Low end | £140 | a junior solicitor outside the big cities |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £250 | what most people pay |
| High end | £579 | a senior partner in central London |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the accountants, solicitors and professional firms near you.
What moves the price
- Seniority — trainees and junior solicitors bill less per hour than partners with long experience
- Location — solicitors in central London charge far more than firms in other parts of the country
- Area of law — specialist work such as commercial disputes costs more than routine legal tasks
- Fixed fee or hourly — many solicitors offer fixed fees for wills, conveyancing and simple matters
- Complexity and urgency — contested or urgent legal work needs more hours from senior staff
- VAT and disbursements — court fees, searches and VAT at 20% are added to the solicitor's charges
Professional services prices in the UK are up 12% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Other services n.e.c., to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical solicitor would have cost about £250 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7FR →
WHAT YOU GET
What a solicitor visit includes
Takes: A single advice session takes an hour or two; disputes and transactions can run for months. Not included: Court fees, barristers' fees and expert reports are usually extra disbursements — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common solicitor jobs
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Solicitor near you, with prices shown
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Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
How to pay less
- Ask the solicitor for a fixed fee for clearly defined legal work
- Prepare a short written summary and the key documents before the first meeting
- Check whether legal expenses cover on your home insurance pays for a solicitor
Before you book
- Check the solicitor is regulated by the SRA in England and Wales, or the Law Society in Scotland or Northern Ireland
- Read the solicitor's published prices, which SRA firms are required to show for many common services
- Ask for a written estimate and a client care letter before work starts
- Ask how complaints are handled and that the Legal Ombudsman can review them
Solicitor cost: questions people ask
£140–£579 per hour, with about £250 a typical rate. Junior solicitors outside London cost the least; senior partners in central London cost the most.
Simple advice may take an hour or two. Contested matters, court cases and complex transactions can take many months.
Solicitors in England and Wales are regulated by the SRA, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own Law Societies. Each keeps a public register you can search.
For many routine matters, yes. Wills, conveyancing, simple divorces and letters are often done for a fixed fee.
Court fees, barristers, expert reports and VAT are usually added on top of the solicitor's own charges.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, drawn from published guideline hourly rates and legal price guides. They show a national range, not a quote.
MORE GUIDES