Paragraph 12 Payment for Assigned Counsel
England and Wales
Sub-paragraph (2) applies to the fees payable to Assigned Counsel for representation in the High Court, the family court or a county court in proceedings prescribed as criminal proceedings under section 14(h) of the Act.
The fees payable to Assigned Counsel are subject to the limits specified in the table following this paragraph.
F2Payment for Assigned Counsel
| Junior Counsel (£) | Queen’s Counsel (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic fee for preparation, including for a pre-trial review and, where appropriate, the first day’s hearing including, where they took place on that day, short conferences, consultations, applications and appearances (including bail applications, views and any other preparation). | Maximum amount 491.05 | Maximum amount 4,664.40 |
| Refresher daily fee (for any day or part of a day during which a hearing continued, including, where they took place on that day, short conferences, consultations, applications and appearances (including bail applications, views and any other preparation)). | Maximum amount 169.05 | Maximum amount 311.66 |
| Subsidiary fees: | ||
| Attendance at consultations, conferences and views not covered by the basic fee or the refresher fee | 30.69 per hour – minimum amount 15.24 | 57.19 per hour – minimum amount 29.38 |
| Written work (on evidence, plea, appeal, cases stated or other written work). | Maximum amount 53.79 | Maximum amount 110.18 |
| Attendance at pre-trial reviews, applications and other appearances (including bail applications and adjournments for sentence) not covered by the basic fee or the refresher fee | Maximum amount 98.65 | Maximum amount 215.12 |
The fees payable to Assigned Counsel for representation in a magistrates’ court or youth court or in the High Court on an appeal by way of case stated are subject to the limits specified in the table following this paragraph.
Payment for Assigned Counsel for representation in a magistrates’ court or youth court or in the High Court on an appeal by way of case stated
| Junior Counsel (£) | King’s Counsel (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic fee for preparation, including for a pretrial review and, where appropriate, the first day’s hearing including, where they took place on that day, short conferences, consultations, applications and appearances (including bail applications, views and any other preparation) | Maximum amount 540.16 | Maximum amount 5,130.84 |
| Refresher daily fee (for any day or part of a day during which a hearing continued, including, where they took place on that day, short conferences, consultations, applications and appearances (including bail applications, views and any other preparation)) | Maximum amount 185.96 | Maximum amount 342.83 |
| Subsidiary fees | ||
| Attendance at consultations, conferences and views not covered by the basic fee or the refresher fee | 33.76 per hour - minimum amount 16.76 | 62.91 per hour - minimum amount 32.32 |
| Written work (on evidence, plea, appeal, cases stated or other written work). | Maximum amount 59.17 | Maximum amount 121.20 |
| Attendance at pre-trial reviews, applications and other appearances (including bail applications and adjournments for sentence) not covered by the basic fee or the refresher fee | Maximum amount 108.52 | Maximum amount 236.63 |
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Sch. 4 para. 12(1) substituted (3.3.2026) by The Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/106), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(a) (with reg. 3)
- F2
Sch. 4 para. 12 table substituted (30.9.2022) by The Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/848), reg. 1(1), Sch. 4 para. 14 (with reg. 3) (as amended (31.10.2022) by The Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1035), regs. 1(1), 2(1))
- F3
Sch. 4 para. 12(3) and table substituted (3.3.2026) by The Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/106), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(b) (with reg. 3)