Below is an outline of the costs you can expect to incur in bringing or defending an Unfair Dismissal or Wrongful Dismissal claim.
Please note however that each case is different and the overall cost will therefore depend on the particular circumstances and complexities of the case.
Furthermore, if the Claimant is making any other claims, such as discrimination, this will add to the work to be carried out and therefore increase the cost.
Upon you instructing us we will take full details of the matter from you and provide you with a tailored cost estimate based on the particular circumstances of the case.
Costs
Your matter will be handled by Mary Yusuf and all work carried out will be charged at her hourly charging rate which is presently £265 plus VAT.
You may expect the following approximate costs in bringing/defending an Unfair Dismissal or Wrongful Dismissal claim:
Simple case: £2,500 – £7,000 (excluding VAT)
Medium complexity case: £7,000 – £12,000 (excluding VAT)
High complexity case: £12,000 – £20,000 (excluding VAT)
Factors that could make a case more complex and therefore more expensive:
- 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 litigants in person
- 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
- Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of approximately £1,800 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow between half a day to 3 days depending on the complexity of your case.
We will add VAT to our charge at the rate that applies when the work is done. At present, VAT is 20%.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel’s fees are likely to be between £1,000 and £2,500 per day (depending on the level of experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
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 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) a Preliminary Hearing
- Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
- Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
- Preparing bundle of documents for the hearing
- Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
- Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
- 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 up to around 3 months. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take between 6 to 9 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.
