Transparent pricing

JPP is passionate about being open and transparent in providing advice to our clients in an efficient, effective and friendly manner.

JPP is a virtual law firm serving businesses in the UK and abroad. We have developed new ways of working to reduce clients fees, remove geographical barriers and enhance client service levels. Our efficient structure enables JPP to offer City of London expertise nationally and internationally, at ‘virtual law firm prices’ and we are able to offer flexibility in our approach to fee arrangements with clients.

We are always happy to discuss fixed fees or, for non-employment work, contingent fee arrangements where appropriate and desired by our clients. Most importantly, we will always agree the basis on which our work is charged so that there are never any surprises.

Our regulatory body, the SRA, requires us to publish specific information on charges for employment and dispute resolution services. We are happy to do this (set out below) and welcome the opportunity to agree the specific arrangements for any particular matter.

Our Pricing for Commercial Debt Recovery (Claims up to £100,000)

Our typical fees for commercial debt recovery on claims up to £100,000 against debtors located in England and Wales are outlined below. For claims exceeding this amount or involving debtors outside this jurisdiction, we are happy to discuss pricing on a case-by-case basis.

We charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. Our lowest hourly rate is £125 and our highest hourly rate is £380. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We have a range of staff from paralegal to partner level solicitors. All our solicitors are fully qualified solicitors with a current practicing certificate, and supervision is provided by JPP’s managing partner. We will discuss who is appropriate to handle your case with you when you instruct us.

The fees listed apply where the claim relates to unpaid invoices and is not disputed by the debtor. If the debtor disputes the claim at any stage before court proceedings are issued, we will advise you on any additional work required and provide a revised cost estimate.

VAT at 20% will be added to the fees shown. Please note that VAT is applicable to Counsel’s fees, but not to Court Fees or Process Server Fees.

Stage 1: Pre-action

Timescales

For standard Letters Before Action (LBAs), clients can choose a payment deadline of 3, 7, or 14 days. Provided we have all the necessary information, we can prepare and issue these letters within 24 hours.

For letters that comply with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, the debtor must be given at least 30 days to respond. In more complex matters, this response period may be extended up to 90 days. We aim to prepare these letters within 24 to 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the claim and the volume of supporting documentation.

If the debtor responds but the matter remains unresolved after the response period, we are required by court rules to issue a letter to the debtor which provides a summary of the current position and gives the debtor 14 days’ notice before legal proceedings commence.

Fees

• Pre-action protocol letter

Debt Level	Fees
Up to £5,000	£350 + VAT (£420 incl. VAT)
£5,001 – £10,000	£650 + VAT (£780 incl. VAT)
£10,001 – £20,000	£1500 + VAT (£1800 incl. VAT)
£20,001 – £50,000	£1800 + VAT (£2160 incl. VAT)
Over £50,001	£2500 + VAT (£3000 incl. VAT)

• Pre-action taking stock letter/final demand

Debt Level	Fees
Up to £5,000	£250 + VAT (£300incl. VAT)
£5,001 – £10,000	£500 + VAT (£600incl. VAT)
£10,001 – £20,000	£1000 + VAT (£1200incl. VAT)
£20,001 – £50,000	£1200 + VAT (£1440incl. VAT)
Over £50,001	£1750 + VAT (£2100incl. VAT)

• Bespoke letter

Debt Level	Fees
Up to £5,000	£450 + VAT (£incl. VAT)
£5,001 – £10,000	£750 + VAT (£360 incl. VAT)
£10,001 – £20,000	£1800 + VAT (£450 incl. VAT)
£20,001 – £50,000	£2000 + VAT (£600 incl. VAT)
Over £50,001	£2800 + VAT (£720 incl. VAT)

Stage 2: Issuing Legal Proceedings

We issue debt recovery claims up to £100,000 through Money Claim Online (MCOL), the court’s online service for managing such claims.

The first table below outlines the applicable MCOL court fees and the second our fixed solicitor costs. These costs are recoverable if the debtor pays the claim without raising a dispute. Our fee includes preparing and submitting the claim form and processing the request for the court to issue the claim.

Claim Amount	Court Issue Fee
Up to £300	£35
£301 – £500	£50
£501 – £1,000	£75
£1,001 – £1,500	£80
£1,501 – £3,000	£115
£3,001 – £5,000	£205
£5,001 – £10,000	£455
£10,001 – £25,000	5% of the claim value
£25,001 – £50,000	5% of the claim value
£50,001 – £75,000	5% of the claim value
£75,001 – £100,000	5% of the claim value
Recoverable Fixed Fees – If Parties reach a settlement prior to the claimant issuing proceedings under Part 7
	Complexity Band	Complexity Band	Complexity Band	Complexity Band
	1	2	3	4
(1) Where damages are not more than £5,000	£ Nil	The greater of £681 or £124 + an amount equivalent to 20% of the damages	£1,136 + an amount equivalent to 17.5% of the damages	In each case— £2,684 + an amount equivalent to 15% of the damages + £526 per extra defendant
(2) Where damages are more than £5,000, but not more than £10,000	£ Nil	£1,342 + an amount equivalent to 15% of damages over £5,000	£2,271 + an amount equivalent to 12.5% of damages over £5,000
(3) Where damages are more than £10,000	£599	£2,374 + an amount equivalent to 10% of damages over £10,000	£3,097 + an amount equivalent to 10% of damages over £10,000

 

Additional Costs

In more complex matters, or where supporting documentation needs to be exhibited at the point of issue, we may recommend preparing, filing, and serving separate Particulars of Claim. Our fee for this service typically ranges from £380 to £750 + VAT, depending on the complexity and volume of documentation.

For claims exceeding £100,000 or those involving particularly intricate legal or factual issues requiring extended preparation time, a higher fee may apply. We will always advise you in advance if such additional work is necessary and provide a clear cost estimate before issuing proceedings.

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

• The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
• Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
• The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff, is needed to collect your debt.

Timescale for Responding to a Claim

Once a claim form and/or Particulars of Claim have been served, the defendant has 14 days from the date of deemed service to respond by either:

Filing an Acknowledgement of Service, or

Filing a Defence to the claim.

If the defendant does not respond within this period, you may request default judgment against them.

If the defendant files an Acknowledgement of Service, they then have a further 14 days (i.e., 28 days from the date of service) to file their Defence. If no Defence is filed by this extended deadline, Judgment In Default can also be entered.

The parties may agree to an extension of up to 28 additional days (without court permission) to allow more time for the Defence to be filed. This may be appropriate where the defendant appoints legal representation and requires additional time to assess and respond to the claim.

Stage 3: Requesting Judgment

If the defendant does not respond within the required timeframes, we can request the court to enter Judgment In Default for the full claim amount.

Alternatively, if the defendant admits the debt and proposes a payment plan, a Judgment on Admission can be requested based on the agreed terms.

Our costs for requesting judgment are as follows and are recoverable from the debtor if payment is subsequently made:

Recoverable Fixed Fees – If proceedings are issued under Part 7, but the case settles or is discontinued before trial

	Complexity Band	Complexity Band	Complexity Band	Complexity Band
	1	2	3	4
(1) On or after the date that the court issues the claim, but before the date that the court allocates the claim under Part 26	£2,168	£1,445 + an amount equivalent to 20% of the damages	£3,303 + an amount equivalent to 20% of the damages	£3,097 + an amount equivalent to 40% of the damages + £785 per extra defendant
(2) On or after the date that the court allocates the claim under Part 26, but before the date that the court lists the claim for trial	£2,581	£2,374 + an amount equivalent to 20% of the damages	£4,129 + an amount equivalent to 25% of the damages	£6,607 + an amount equivalent to 40% of the damages + £785 per extra defendant
(3) On or after the date that the court lists the claim for trial but before trial	£3,923	£3,303 + an amount equivalent to 20% of the damages	£5,265 + an amount equivalent to 30% of the damages	£8,155 + an amount equivalent to 40% of the damages + £785 per extra defendant

 Timescale

Processing Times for Judgment Requests

When a request for judgment is submitted via Money Claim Online (MCOL), it is typically processed within 48 hours.

If judgment is requested on determination—where the defendant has made a repayment offer that is not accepted—the court will decide the payment terms. This process must be submitted manually and may take 28 to 45 days for the court to process and issue the judgment.

Our fees to this stage include:

• Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
• Undertaking appropriate searches
• Sending a letter before action
• Receiving payment and sending onto you, or if the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing claim
• Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
• When Judgement in default in received, write to the other side to request payment
• If payment is not received within 14 days, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs

Matters usually take 8-14 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.

Stage 4: Enforcement of Judgment

Once a judgment is obtained against a debtor, there are several enforcement options available. These can be pursued individually or simultaneously, depending on the circumstances:

Enforcement Method	Fee	Court Fee	Disbursements (+VAT)	Recoverable Costs
County Court Bailiff	£150 + VAT (£180 incl. VAT)	£83	£0	£85.25
High Court Enforcement Agent (debts over £600)	£150 + VAT (£180 incl. VAT)	£71	£0	£122.75
Attachment of Earnings Order	£150 + VAT (£180 incl. VAT)	£119	£75 (tracing agent)	£149.75 – £194.50
Third Party Debt Order	£200 + VAT (£240 incl. VAT)	£119	£0	£217.50
Application for Charge over Land/Property	£700 + VAT (£840 incl. VAT)	£119	£56	£229

Additional Enforcement Charges

HCEO Abortive Fee:

If the debtor is unable to pay the judgment and the High Court Enforcement Officer (HCEO) cannot successfully enforce the debt, you will be required to pay an abortive fee of £75 + VAT.

Correspondence with the HCEO:

Should additional correspondence or liaison with the HCEO be necessary regarding the instruction, extra charges may apply. These charges will be based on the hourly rate of the solicitor handling your case.

Defended Application for Charge Over Land/Property:

If an application for a charge over land or property becomes defended or opposed, the matter will be listed for a hearing. We anticipate fees of £500 – £750 + VAT for preparing for the hearing. A more precise fee estimate will be provided if any opposition to the application is received.

Timescales for Enforcement

The likely timescales for enforcement will depend on the method(s) you choose. We will provide a detailed estimate of the expected timeframes based on your specific circumstances and keep you informed at each stage upon instruction.

Managing the Cost of Litigation

It’s completely natural to be concerned about the costs involved in litigation. Court claims can be time-consuming and unpredictable, even with careful planning. We are well-versed in the various alternative funding solutions available in the market and can help you navigate the options that best suit your case.

Whatever the nature of your claim, we are committed to helping you achieve a successful resolution with the least financial burden possible.

Funding Your Legal Claim: Exploring Your Options

When faced with a legal claim, one of the key considerations for any potential party is how to fund the legal action. Legal claims can be costly, and the time required for resolution is often unpredictable, along with the outcome. Additionally, there is the risk of being ordered to pay a financial sum to the opposing party or their legal fees.

Traditionally, legal costs are funded by clients paying for their solicitor’s time. However, this can be problematic for clients with limited funds or when the risks are high. But there are options.

The Importance of Early Advice on Funding Options

Taking early advice regarding alternative funding options is essential for any potential party to a dispute. Every case is unique, and many law firms often adopt a “one size fits all” approach. Instead, we work with you to find the funding solution that works best for your specific needs and situation.

Alternative Funding Arrangements

We specialize in advising clients on available alternative funding options.

Considering alternative funding options early in the process can have a significant impact on the strategy, direction, and timing of your case, as well as the potential settlement amount. By working closely with you, we can identify the most suitable funding solutions for your case, ensuring that you can make an informed decision from the outset.

Litigation Funding

Litigation funding refers to financial arrangements where a client agrees to pay the law firm’s fees at the conclusion of the case, typically only if the case is successful.

Litigation funding arrangements are generally entered into directly between the solicitor and the client. In these agreements, the solicitor’s fees will be paid upon the successful outcome of the case (such as through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) or Damages-Based Agreement (DBA)).

If you have a potential claim and are looking for litigation funding, we would be happy to assess whether funding options like a CFA or DBA might be appropriate for your case. To do so, we would need to understand the nature of your claim, its legal basis, its financial value, the chances of success, whether your claim is within the statutory time limits under the Limitation Act 1980, and whether your opponent is financially capable of paying any judgment and associated costs.

Third-Party Funding

Third-party funders are institutions that provide financing to litigants who cannot afford to pay for legal action upfront. Third-party funding often covers the costs of solicitors’ fees and disbursements, though other models exist (e.g., funding for disbursements only).

These funders are typically backed by investors, with the aim of achieving a profitable return on their investment. While third-party funding is most commonly used by claimants, it can also be applied to the defence of claims or even for non-contentious negotiations that require legal assistance.

We work with a network of third-party funders and can introduce you to a suitable funder who may be willing to finance your legal claim. As with litigation funding, the funder will need to assess your claim, its legal grounds, its financial value, the likelihood of success, whether the claim is within time limits, and whether the defendant can pay any judgment or costs.

For dispute resolution enquiries, please contact us. 

Our average pricing for bringing and defending claims for basic unfair dismissal only are explained below. This applies where the claim is only for unfair dismissal and not other claims such as discrimination or whistleblowing. Where multiple claims are brought at the same time or the claim involves whistleblowing or discrimination, it is highly likely that that from a costs perspective all claims will fall into the high complexity category.

Simple case: £15,000-£20,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

Medium complexity case: £25,000-£35,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

High complexity case: £50,000-£100,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

However, it is possible that some cases may exceed the ranges given above. These are provided as average examples as a guide. We will discuss individual cases with you and provide a specific costs estimate which refers to your individual case.

Make sure you check if you have other ways of funding your claim, such as legal expenses insurance which you may have brought as a standalone policy, but more likely as part of another insurance policy like your home insurance. If you have such insurance you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible. However, do not delay in seeking legal advice as time limits for bringing employment claims are short (generally 3 months from the event complained about).

We charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. Our lowest hourly rate is £125 and our highest hourly rate is £380. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We have a range of staff from paralegal to partner level solicitors. All our solicitors are fully qualified solicitors with a current practicing certificate, and supervision is provided by JPP’s managing partner. We will discuss who is appropriate to handle your case with you when you instruct us.

Factors that could make a case more complex:

• if it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim;
• defending claims that are brought by individuals acting for themselves, without a solicitor;
• making or defending a costs application;
• complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties);
• The number of witnesses and documents;
• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. If you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer; and
• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal.

Attendance at a tribunal hearing will be charged at the normally hourly rate of the relevant solicitor. Generally, we would allow 1 to 10 days depending on the complexity of your case. Most discrimination claims will need a hearing of at least 4 days. If disability is disputed there will often be a preliminary hearing to decide that point which will typically last between a half and a full day.

There may be other preliminary hearings to decide other significant points such as whether a claim is out of time and should be allowed to proceed, or whether the person bringing the claim has the right to bring the claim e.g. Whether they were employed or self-employed, or whether they had worked for the employer for long enough to be entitled to bring an unfair dismissal claim. In all cases there will be a case management preliminary hearing at which the tribunal will set the timetable for the rest of the litigation such as when the parties have to provide copies of relevant documents to each other and send witness statements to each other.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to other parties, such as counsel’s fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel’s fees are estimated between £1,500 to £3,000 per day for attending a tribunal hearing (depending on experience of the advocate, location of the chambers and type of case) excluding vat, charged at 20%. Counsel charge a brief fee which includes the preparation for the hearing and covers the first day and then a daily “refresher” fee for each subsequent day of the hearing. So, for example, a 4 day hearing can easily cost £10,000 exclusive of vat in counsel’s fees, in addition to our fees.

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:

• taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change);
• entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
• preparing a claim or response;
• reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party;
• exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process;
• preparing or considering a schedule of loss;
• preparing for (and attending) one or more Preliminary Hearings, as explained above;
• exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents;
• supporting you in drafting your statements;
• preparing bundle of documents;
• reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements;
• agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list;
• liaising with the other side and tribunal throughout the case which can be extensive, particularly if the other side is an individual without a solicitor, or a party who fails to comply with the tribunal directions; and
• preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel.

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take a few weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 18-24 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses. The tribunals are heavily backlogged and the duration of tribunal litigation depends to a large extent on when the tribunal is able to list a case.

For enquiries, please contact us. 

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