SEN solicitor costs

We are committed to providing expert, clear, and easy to understand advice. Part of that commitment is to be clear about costs. We understand that every case is different, and we tailor all quotes to the amount of support you need and costs will be transparent throughout the whole process.

Our costs

Your first contact with us will be a free 20-minute telephone conversation. During this conversation we will discuss your options, whether you really need further advice and possible costs. Legal advice can be more affordable than you think.

If you require further advice, we can offer an initial meeting to discuss your case in more detail. The initial meeting is normally between 1 and 1 ½ hours for which we charge £300 + VAT.

For some clients, an EHCP health check and strategy planning is beneficial. We will review key documents and develop a clear, tailored strategy which we will take you through on a virtual meeting. We will advise during the initial phone call if this option would be suitable for your needs. This package costs between £1,000 and £1,500.

Once you have had a chance to consider all available options, you can then decide to instruct us to do as little, or as much, as you want.

We will charge on the basis of an hourly rate, which is between £150 – £280 + VAT.

As we only do what you want us to, the cost of your matter is entirely in your control. We are happy to discuss your budget and what we can do to help you within that budget.

Alongside our hourly rate, we also may be able to offer a capped fee model. The capped model sets a maximum amount you will pay for a defined set of services, providing you with greater predictability and control over your costs. The capped fee model is designed to give you peace of mind, knowing that once the agreed amount is reached, no further charges will apply. This is designed to give access to high-quality care within a manageable budget. To find out more about our capped model and pricing structures, please get in contact with our SEN experts.

Other costs

Our costs do not include independent experts’ or barristers’ fees.

You may require independent expert assessments from e.g. educational psychologist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist. We have strong links with experts and can help you source assessments.

We only advise that you seek expert advice when it is absolutely necessary to your case. As such, your case may not require all the experts.

As we are highly experienced special educational needs solicitors, we can provide representation at Annual Review meetings and mediation ourselves and provide advocacy at your Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal hearing. This ensures that you have consistent support and that you are represented by a solicitor who fully knows your case.

We will advise if you will need a barrister and can find one for you.

Budgeting

We make sure that your costs stay under control.

If you decide to instruct us, we will normally ask for up to £2,000 on account.  We place this in your ‘client account’ and we only use it when we raise an invoice for work we have done.

Every month, we will send you an invoice detailing the work completed, the cost of that work, and the balance left in your client account. If appropriate, we will also suggest further payment into client account for future work.

We understand that costs are one of the biggest concerns when approaching a solicitor. We do as much as possible to help you achieve your desired outcome within your budget.

Legal Aid

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer advice funded by legal aid. There is an online calculator to work out whether you would be eligible for legal aid.

If you are seeking advice via legal aid, you must do so by contacting Civil Legal Advice on 0345 345 4345.