Litigator fee

On this page:

New fee scheme for litigators
What are the aims of the scheme?
How the graduated fees are calculated
How to deal with changes to VAT
New LGFS Committal for Trial fee
For more information

New fee scheme for litigators

We have introduced a graduated fee scheme for Crown Court litigators. Read more on the Pay rates and schemes>Litigators graduated fee scheme page.

What are the aims of the scheme?

The Litigators Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS) will produce savings of £11m each year - a reduction from £28m.

We will still be able to meet Lord Carter’s 2010/11 budget target of £255m, delivering a saving of 5.5% of the total budget.

The scheme will be similar to the successful Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme. It aims to:

give litigators an incentive to speed up cases and encourage them to deliver the right quality of service for clients by paying more for longer and more serious cases
simplify the process of claiming a bill and speed up payment
cap inflationary increases on the budget and provide savings.

Under the scheme litigators will be paid a graduated fee for each case determined by variables such as:

length of trial
offence and case type
volume of prosecution evidence
the number of defendants.

This brings the fee scheme for Crown Court litigators in line with advocates who have been paid by a graduated fee scheme since 1997.

We intend to consult on proposals for a Single Fee to establish a new payment system for litigation and advocacy. This will further the way for Best Value Tendering of Crown Court work.

How the graduated fees are calculated

The LGFS payments will be based on the following key variables:

the nature of the alleged offence
the type of case (for example, if there is a guilty plea or if the case goes to full trial)
the length of trial
the number of pages of prosecution evidence
the number of defendants

Visit the Pay rates and schemes>Litigators graduated fee scheme page to read more about the fees and to use the payment calculator.

From 4 February 2008 you can claim litigator fees online.

How to deal with changes to VAT

For more information on how to deal with changes to VAT please click here.

New LGFS Committal for Trial fee

New funding arrangements come into force on 6 April 2010 for committals for trial.

For cases with a representation order dated on or after 6 April 2010, committals for trial will be remunerated under the Litigator Graduated Fee Scheme. Under the new arrangements, a fixed fee of £318 (excluding VAT) will be payable for each committal hearing.

For cases with a representation order dated before 6 April 2010, or where the case is discharged prior to any Crown Court appearance, the current magistrates' court standard fee arrangements will apply.

Please see Documents for full guidance. Please note the LGFS Committal for Trial Guidance will be incorporated into the LGFS Guidance Manual in April 2010.

For more information

Full guidance on the Litigators Graduated Fee Scheme is under Documents, along with a Q&A.

Also under Documents is our response to the consultation. Read more about the consultation on the Crime consultations pages.

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Last updated: 09 March 2010