Pricing Structures

Employment Pricing Information

Fees (Employment Tribunal Claims for unfair and wrongful dismissal)

An unfair dismissal claim arises when an employee has been dismissed and they believe the dismissal was in breach of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and therefore unfair.

The person bringing the claim is called the claimant. In an unfair dismissal claim, the entity responding to the claim is the former employer and is called the respondent.

If the claimant was summarily dismissed (dismissed without notice) they may also have a claim for wrongful dismissal and as such they would make a claim for the notice pay they say they should have been paid.

According to HMCTS, the process for a straight-forward unfair dismissal claim would follow is:

• Dispute arises.
• Try to resolve it informally or directly, if not, Acas early conciliation.
• If Acas early conciliation is not successful, the claim is then presented to the ET office.
• It should then take 5 days for the claim to be acknowledged and accepted. It is then sent to the respondent.
• The respondent then has 28 days to present a response.
• If necessary, there is a preliminary case management hearing.
• Directions are issued. The steps which would need to be taken are:
  • The claimant produces a schedule of loss (what is being claim in monetary terms).
  • Both parties make a list of all relevant documents and compare that with the other side’s.
  • Any documents which have not been seen and which are held by the other side are provided.
  • Those documents are collated into a bundle for use at the hearing (usually the respondent does this task).
  • Both sides draft and prepare written witness statements for the hearing. Witness statements are exchanged with the other side and their statements are reviewed.
• Details are then provided to a barrister to provide representation at the final hearing.
• It is HMCTS’s target for the final hearing to be held within 26 weeks of the claim commencing.
• If oral judgment is not given at the final hearing, the target is for a written judgment to be issued within a further 4 weeks.

This is an example of a very straight-forward unfair dismissal claim, with no complications. In reality, there will almost always be other factors which come into play. For example, in our experience, unfair dismissal hearings take around 1-2 years to be listed for Trial. This is because the ET is currently under resourced. Hearings are being postponed due to a lack of judges. Sometime one party will ask for and be granted a postponement.

Sometimes the case is not allocated to a judge and ‘floats’. This means that the system relies upon other cases settling and so resources become available; this does not always happen.

It would be more realistic to say that the final hearing would take place within 52-weeks, but even then, it can take longer than that.

An unfair dismissal claim will take longer, be more complex and cost more if other claims are brought in addition to unfair dismissal, eg:

• Discrimination;
• Whistleblowing;
• Counterclaims;
• Issues with pensions;
• Transfers of Undertakings (TUPE);
• Health and Safety/Trade Union/Working Time
• Unlawful deductions from wages.

For a claimant, a straight-forward unfair dismissal case could cost on average from £15,000 + vat + disbursements (third party costs) upwards. It is likely to cost more for a respondent as they usually have more witnesses, so an employer can expect costs from £20,000 + vat + disbursements upwards.

Please contact us for a specific quote in your case.

We charge an hourly rate for the work we undertake for you. This depends upon the level and experience of your representative. It ranges from £300 + vat to £450 + vat + disbursements. The hourly rate may increase during the course of a transaction.

We would expect a barrister to represent you at a final hearing. That cost depends upon how experienced the barrister is and how long the hearing is set to last for.

As a guide, you can expect to pay around £2,000-£4,500 + vat for representation at a one day hearing. A longer hearing will cost more, probably an additional £750-£2,500 + vat per day.

It is important to note that the ET is generally a costs neutral jurisdiction, so in general, each side is responsible for their own costs. Costs awards are rare, so the successful party should not expect the unsuccessful party to pay their costs.

Employment work is supervised by Rahil Chaudhari who has over 25 years’ experience having qualified in 1994.

If you would like to discuss a potential unfair dismissal or wrongful dismissal claim in more detail and would like further information about our charges, please request a callback, contact us on +441273696962 or send us an email at: info@arlingsworth.com

Probate Pricing Information

Our services in dealing with an uncontested probate and the administration of an estate would typically include the following aspects/stages of work:

• Providing advice about the law and procedure in relation to the administration of estates upon the death of an individual.
• Sending a detailed letter of engagement (client care letter) explaining the process involved.
• Writing to third parties to obtain valuations.
• Preparing a schedule of assets and liabilities.
• Preparing the necessary IHT forms and probate application forms as necessary.
• Preparing the Oath.
• Submitting the application for the grant of probate.
• Dealing with the publication of notices following the grant of probate.
• Collecting in the estate.
• Distributing the estate.

Dealing with the grant of probate and administration of an estate typically takes 6-12 months on average but is dependent on a variety of different factors such as the size and complexity of the estate. A firmer time estate will be provided upon being instructed once we are aware of all the relevant circumstances of your case.

Where appropriate, we can offer fixed Agreed Fees which generally start from £2,500 plus VAT plus disbursements (depending on the individual facts of the case). Alternatively, we will charge hourly at a rate of £300 + vat to £450 + vat + disbursements. The hourly rate may increase during the course of a transaction.

Dealing with complex asset structures such as trusts, investments and foreign assets are likely to increase the costs.

In terms of timescales, dealing with the grant of probate and administration of an estate typically takes 8-18 months on average but is dependent on a variety of different factors such as the size and complexity of the estate. A firmer time estate will be provided upon being instructed once we are aware of all the relevant circumstances of your case.

Examples of disbursements that may be incurred are set out below:

• Probate registry fee for grant: £155 plus 50p per sealed copy.
• Land registry searches: £3 per entry.
• Bankruptcy searches: £2 per entry.
• Land Registry application: from £20.

Probate work is supervised by Rahil Chaudhari who has over 25 years’ experience having qualified in 1994.

If you would like to discuss a probate matter in more detail and would like further information about our charges, please request a callback, contact us on +441273696962 or send us an email at: info@arlingsworth.com

Immigration Pricing Information

Visa applications

Our services in preparing a visa application would typically include the following:

• Giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules for the type of application being made.
• Sending a detailed letter of engagement (client care letter) explaining the requirements under the Rules, the supporting documents required and advising in relation to the case plan.
• Considering the supporting evidence provided and preparing an itimised schedule of the supporting documents.
• Where necessary, helping you to obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses.
• Preparing your application (to include preparing the necessary application form and representations – a detailed legal framework document setting out the applicable law and facts in the case.
• Attending you on the phone, by email, in person and by letter.
• Providing advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps to take.

Where appropriate, we offer fixed Agreed Fees for dealing with appeal at first instance (i.e. in the First Tier Tribunal) which start from £2,000 (+ VAT where applicable + disbursements). Alternatively, we will charge hourly at a rate of £300 + vat to £450 + vat + disbursements¹.

Disbursements (i.e. third party payments) vary on a case-by-case basis depending upon the application which is being made and the work required. Home office visa application fees are published on the Home Office website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table. They are subject to change. Other disbursements may include expert fees, English language test fees, biometric registration and Home Office appointment fees. This is a non-exhaustive list.

The timescales for the preparation and processing of visa applications vary considerably depending on the type of application and submission method. A firmer time estate will be provided upon being instructed once we are aware of all the relevant circumstances of your case.

Appeals

Our services in dealing with an immigration appeal would typically consist of the following:

• Giving you advice about the merits of pursuing an appeal following a decision made by the Home Office.
• Sending a detailed letter of engagement (client care letter) explaining the process involved in pursuing an appeal.
• Preparing and lodging Grounds of Appeal and the appeal forms.
• Advising you in relation to the supporting evidence required for the appeal and reviewing the same.
• Where necessary, helping you to obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses.
• Preparing the appeal bundle.
• Briefing counsel to represent you at the hearing of the appeal.
• Attending you on the phone, by email, in person and by letter;
• Providing advice about the outcome of the appeal and any further steps to take.

Where appropriate, we offer fixed Agreed Fees for dealing with appeal at first instance (i.e. in the First Tier Tribunal) which start from £5,000 (+ VAT where applicable + disbursements). Alternatively, we will charge hourly at a rate of £300 + vat to £450 + vat + disbursements.

Disbursements in dealing with the case up to a final hearing are likely to be in the region of £500 to £3500.

Immigration appeals generally take 1-2 years to be processed and heard at Tribunal. A firmer time estate will be provided upon being instructed once we are aware of all the relevant circumstances of your case.

Immigration work is supervised by Rahil Chaudhari who has over 25 years’ experience having qualified in 1994.
If you would like to discuss an immigration matter in more detail and would like further information about our charges, please request a callback, contact us on +441273696962 or send us an email at: info@arlingsworth.com

NB: all prices mentioned above are approximate and can vary depending on the individual facts of a client’s case.

¹ We will confirm whether VAT (at a rate of 20%) is payable when we have been instructed as it will depend on the specific facts of your case such as your immigration status and where you are living.