The Guideline Hourly Rates (GHR) provide a framework for the recoverable hourly rate for different grades of fee earners in different regions of England and Wales. The GHR is split is split into various sections. The rates vary depending on the location of the legal professional and the title/experience of the legal professional.
The grades set out for the experience of solicitors are as follows:
- Grade 1/A – Solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years of experience
- Grade 2/B – Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years of experience
- Grade 3/C – Other solicitors or legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience
- Grade 4/D – Trainee solicitors, paralegals and other fee earners
The grades of legal professionals are then split into their working location:
- London band 1 – Heavy commercial and corporate work in Central London
- London band 2 – City and Central London
- London band 3 – Outer London
- National 1 – Usually inner cities
- National 2 – Usually outer cities
The updated 2026 guideline rates to solicitors’ costs in England and Wales are set out in the table below:
In Leicester, which falls under the National 2 band, the Guideline Hourly Rate (GHR) for Grade A Solicitors will increase to £288 per hour, up from the 2025 rate of £282.
Alternative Rates
Many legal firms adopt alternative rates based on factors such as the complexity of the case and the amount of work required. This means that the Guideline Hourly Rates are not necessarily the hourly rates adopted by law firms. At MDS, we ensure our rates reflect the high level of expertise required for complex medical negligence claims
No win - No fee (Conditional Fee Agreement)
At MDS, if we are acting for you under a No Win, No Fee agreement (CFA), the hourly rate primarily dictates the level of costs we can recover from the Defendant. Please be assured that if your case is successful, the majority of the fees will be passed onto the other side. Any contribution you are required to make to your legal costs will remain as discussed with you at the outset of your case.
If your case is funded by way of a no win, no fee agreement and is not successful or abandoned on our advice, then our fees will be written off.
However, there are some circumstances when you may be responsible for our fees, for example if you are in breach of any terms of the no win no fee agreement/our agreement (such as if you decide to abandon a case against our advice or there has been any element of dishonesty which comes to light).
Yusuf Takoliya observes: “Regardless of whether alternative or Guideline Hourly Rates are used, solicitors cannot claim new rates if a contractual agreement, such as a CFA, caps the hourly rate at a fixed figure. If the retainer allows for annual increases, it is crucial to formally notify the client before work at the new rate is performed. Failure to do so means the solicitor will be unable to recover fees at the higher rate and will remain bound by the last rate formally notified to the client.”
