Court fees will increase in line with the Consumer Price Index

Photograph of Ian Brown

Posted: 17th March 2025
by Ian Brown

Ministry of Justice Announcement

The Ministry of Justice have announced that the court fees will increase in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) between March 2023 and March 2024 by 3.2%.  The court application fee will increase from £408 to £421 and going against the rate of inflation the Ministry of Justice are decreasing the hearing fee from £494 to £259.  The other notable increase is with the assessment fee increasing from £96 to £99. The full details of the increase can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/court-and-tribunal-fees-updates-from-april-2025

Subject to Parliamentary Approval

The increase is still subject to parliamentary approval but should come into effect on 1 April 2025. As an expert witness team this means we need to consider and reflect the increases within any ongoing deputyship cost forecasts, both in new statements and any draft statements that are yet to be finalised, to ensure the personal injury solicitors can accurately calculate the Schedule of Loss in any claim.

These court fee increases are in addition to the changes made to the guideline hourly rates (GHR) brought in on 1 January 2025:

Guideline Hourly Rates
Grade Fee Earner London 1 London 2 London 3 National 1 National 2
Old Rate New Rate Old Rate New Rate Old Rate New Rate Old Rate New Rate Old Rate New Rate
A Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years’ experience £546 £566 £398 £413 £301 £312 £278 £288 £272 £282
B Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years’ experience £371 £385 £308 £319 £247 £256 £233 £242 £233 £242
C Other solicitors or legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience £288 £299 £260 £269 £197 £204 £190 £197 £189 £196
D Trainee solicitors, paralegals and other fee earners £198 £205 £148 £153 £138 £143 £134 £139 £134 £139