Payment rates
Preparation (hourly rates)
| Category 1 (£) | Category 2 (£) | Category 3 (£) | Category 4 (£) | Standard rates (£) |
Litigator |
Level A | 101.50 | 79.10 | 63.70 | 63.70 | 39.03 |
Level B | 88.90 | 70.00 | 55.30 | 55.30 | 33.08 |
Level C | 58.80 | 45.50 | 35.70 | 35.70 | 24.05 |
Pupil/junior[1] | 31.50 | 25.20 | 21.00 | 21.00 | |
Barrister |
QC | 101.50 | 79.10 | 63.70 | 63.70 | |
Leading junior | 88.90 | 70.00 | 55.30 | 55.30 | |
Led junior | 63.70 | 51.10 | 42.70 | 42.70 | |
Junior alone | 70 | 57.40 | 49.00 | 49.00 | |
2nd led junior | 44.10 | 35.00 | 30.10 | 30.10 | |
Solicitor advocate |
Leading level a | 101.50 | 79.10 | 63.70 | 63.70 | |
Led level A | 88.90 | 70 | 55.30 | 55.30 | |
Leading level B | 88.90 | 70 | 55.30 | 55.30 | |
Led level B | 72.80 | 60.20 | 46.20 | 46.20 | |
Level A alone | 91.70 | 76.30 | 61.60 | 61.60 | |
Level B alone | 79.10 | 66.50 | 52.50 | 52.50 | |
Second advocate | 44.10 | 35.00 | 30.10 | 30.10 | |
Advocacy
Advocacy rates for advocates are paid per hearing or per day depending upon the duration of the court sitting time. Advocacy rates are non-category specific.
| Preliminary hearing (£) | Half day (£) | Full day (£) |
QC | 79.10 | 166.60 | 333.20 |
Leading junior | 60.20 | 136.50 | 273.00 |
Led junior | 40.60 | 88.20 | 176.40 |
Junior alone | 46.90 | 100.10 | 199.50 |
Second led junior | 23.80 | 44.80 | 89.60 |
Noting junior | 20.30 | 38.50 | 76.30 |
Attendance at court with advocate (hourly rates for litigators)
Level A | £29.58 |
Level B | £23.80 |
Level C | £14.35 |
Travelling and waiting
£25 per hour regardless of Litigator Level or Advocacy role. Travel limited to 4 hours in one day.
Mileage
£0.45 per mile
1) This is to cover situations where the scope of Legal Aid funding cannot be amended to provide for a second junior counsel but the VHCC Supervisor determines that to achieve value for money certain items of work should be done by a third counsel.
2) Solicitor-Advocates will be paid the appropriate rate for a leading junior, a led junior, or a junior alone.