Solicitors often offer a fixed fee option for your first consultation. At this meeting they should discuss how they will charge you for their services and if possible give you some idea of the overall costs you may incur throughout your case.

There are different ways of paying for legal services depending both on how much income you have and on the nature of your case.

• Fixed fee

  Common when you buy or sell a home or make a will.

• Hourly charging rate

  The solicitor should tell you how many hours charges are likely to be incurred at the first meeting.

• Conditional fee arrangement

  Also known as no-win, no-fee arrangements, this way of paying is common in personal injury cases. The solicitor only charges you if you win your case, at which point your legal fees are taken out of any money you win.

• Legal aid/Public funding

  If you are on benefits or on a low income you may be entitled to have your fees paid through legal aid/public funding. You can find firms that do legal aid/public funding work through our search facility.

• Insurers

  Your insurer may pay the solicitor’s fees if you have been involved in a car crash. Your home insurance may also include cover for legal fees in certain situations.