Complaints Procedure | Simman Solicitors
📍 Croydon: 83 South End, CR0 1BG📍 Hayes: Machine Works, 5 Pressing Ln, UB3 1FD
📞 020 8686 1085  ✉ legal@simmansolicitors.org.uk
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm  ·  Saturday: By Appointment  ·  ☎ 020 8686 1085
Transparent Pricing

Our Fees

We believe in complete transparency. All fees are discussed and agreed before any work begins. No hidden costs, no surprises — plain English throughout.

⚖️  Legal Aid is available for Immigration and Asylum matters only, subject to means and merits testing. If you qualify, you pay nothing. Check eligibility and book →

Consultation Fees

Principal / Senior Solicitor
10+ Years PQE

£450
+ VAT per consultation

Associate Solicitor
5+ Years PQE

£300
+ VAT per consultation

Solicitor / Senior Caseworker
Under 5 Years PQE

£220
+ VAT per consultation
💡 The initial consultation fee is deducted from your total case costs if you instruct us to proceed.

Asylum & Protection

⚖️ Asylum matters may be funded by Legal Aid for eligible clients. Check eligibility →
ServicePrincipal/Senior (10yr+)Associate (5yr+)Solicitor/Caseworker
Asylum Claim (pre-decision)£4,800 + VAT
(+£1,400 HO interview reps)
£3,600 + VAT
(+£1,000 HO interview)
£3,000 + VAT
(+£750 HO interview)
Humanitarian Protection / Discretionary Leave£4,800 + VAT£3,600 + VAT£3,000 + VAT
Representations post Substantive Interview / Reconsideration£1,200 + VAT£950 + VAT£750 + VAT
Fresh Claim£4,800 + VAT£3,600 + VAT£3,000 + VAT
Legacy Cases / Human Rights / Further Leave to Remain£4,800 + VAT£3,600 + VAT£2,500 + VAT
Indefinite Leave to Remain (Refugee)£1,200 + VAT£950 + VAT£850 + VAT

Appeals & Judicial Review

ServicePrincipal/Senior (10yr+)Associate (5yr+)Solicitor/Caseworker
First-tier Tribunal Appeal (Asylum / Deportation / Family Reunion / Entry Clearance)£4,800 + VAT£3,800 + VAT£3,200 + VAT
Permission to Appeal to Upper Tribunal£1,200 + VAT£950 + VAT£750 + VAT
Upper Tribunal Appeal£3,600 + VAT£2,500 + VAT£2,200 + VAT
Remitted Appeal to First-tier Tribunal£4,200 + VAT£3,000 + VAT£2,200 + VAT
Permission to Appeal — Court of AppealFrom £2,400 / £1,800 / £1,500 + VAT (depending on complexity)
Court of AppealFrom £2,400 / £1,800 / £1,500 + VAT (depending on complexity)
Pre-Action ProtocolFrom £1,800 + VATFrom £1,500 + VATFrom £1,200 + VAT
Judicial ReviewFrom £4,800 + VATFrom £4,200 + VATFrom £3,600 + VAT
Emergency Application / Injunctions / Out of HoursFrom £6,000 + VATFrom £5,400 + VATFrom £4,200 + VAT

Leave to Remain & Settlement

ServicePrincipal/Senior (10yr+)Associate (5yr+)Solicitor/Caseworker
Indefinite Leave to Remain / Settlement£4,200 + VAT£3,000 + VAT£2,200 + VAT
Leave to Remain — Family / Private Life / Long Residency / Outside the Rules / Student£4,200 + VAT£3,000 + VAT£2,200 + VAT
Further Leave to Remain — Family / Private Life / Outside the Rules£4,200 + VAT£3,000 + VAT£2,200 + VAT
Family Reunion£2,400 + VAT
(+£540 per dependent)
£1,800 + VAT
(+£420 per dependent)
£1,500 + VAT
(+£420 per dependent)
Naturalisation / British Citizenship£2,400 + VAT
(+£600 per dependent)
£2,200 + VAT
(+£360 per dependent)
£1,500 + VAT
(+£300 per dependent)
EEA Applications / EU Settlement Scheme£2,400 + VAT£2,200 + VAT£1,800 + VAT
Points Based System (Skilled Worker, Student, Tier 1/2/4/5)£6,000 + VAT
(+£600 per dependent)
£5,400 + VAT
(+£540 per dependent)
£4,800 + VAT
(+£480 per dependent)
Administrative Review£2,400 + VAT£2,200 + VAT£1,800 + VAT
Travel Document / BRP Application£960 + VAT£720 + VAT£480 + VAT
Entry Clearance Applications£3,600 + VAT£3,000 + VAT£2,400 + VAT
Visit Visa£2,400 + VAT£2,200 + VAT£1,800 + VAT
Bail Application£2,400 + VAT
(+£600 out of London)
£2,200 + VAT
(+£360 out of London)
£1,500 + VAT
(+£300 out of London)
Certification of Documents£20 first page, £8 per additional page
Affidavit / Statutory Declaration / Deed of Change of Name£480 + VAT£360 + VAT£240 + VAT

Divorce & Separation

We handle all aspects of divorce and family law. Most uncontested divorces are handled on a fixed fee basis for clarity and certainty.

⚠️ Simman Solicitors does not offer Legal Aid for family law or divorce matters. These are private fee matters only.
ServiceFixed FeeNotes
Uncontested Divorce (Fixed Fee)
Petition to Decree Absolute
£1,500 + VATCourt fee £593 payable separately by petitioner
Respondent Costs (Uncontested)£500 – £750 + VATCourt may order respondent to pay petitioner's costs
Legal Separation£600 + VATCourt fee £365 payable separately
Consent Order (Financial Settlement)£500 – £750 + VATCourt filing fee £53 payable separately
Clean Break Order£400 – £600 + VATCourt fee £53 payable separately
Defended / Contested DivorceHourly rateRespondent answer fee £245. Costs significantly higher — see hourly rates
Annulment£750 + VATCourt fee £593 payable separately
Civil Partnership Dissolution£1,500 + VATSame process as divorce — court fee £593

Children & Financial Matters

ServiceFee RangeNotes
Child Arrangements Order£1,500 – £3,500 + VATDepends on whether contested. Mediation required first.
Financial Order / Ancillary Relief£2,000 – £5,000 + VATCourt fee £255 if proceedings issued
Mediation (referral & support)£120 – £250 per sessionMandatory before court proceedings. Average 3–4 sessions.
Court Proceedings (Financial)£6,500 – £12,000 + VATIf settled at negotiation hearing. Counsel fees additional.
Fully Contested Final Hearing£18,000 – £55,000 + VATRare — most cases settle before this stage
Domestic Abuse / Non-Molestation Order£1,200 – £2,500 + VATEmergency applications available
Cohabitation / Property Disputes£1,800 – £4,000 + VATDepends on complexity
💡 You may be eligible for Legal Aid if there is evidence of domestic violence or child abduction is involved. Contact us to discuss eligibility.

No-Fault Divorce

Under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (in force April 2022), couples can now apply for a no-fault divorce without attributing blame or lengthy separation. This applies to both joint and sole applications.

StageDetails
Application (sole or joint)Court fee £593. We handle the application and all correspondence.
Conditional Order (formerly Decree Nisi)Typically 20 weeks from application under new rules
Final Order (formerly Decree Absolute)6 weeks after Conditional Order — marriage legally ended
Total timeline (uncontested)Approximately 6–9 months under new no-fault rules

Family Visas & International Family

ServiceFee Range
Spouse / Partner Visa Application£2,400 – £3,600 + VAT (depending on complexity)
Child Visa / Dependant Application£1,200 – £2,000 + VAT per child
Fiancé(e) Visa£1,800 – £2,400 + VAT
Child Arrangements (International)From £2,500 + VAT

Our Hourly Rates (2024/2025)

Hourly rates apply where a fixed fee cannot be agreed — typically for complex, contested, or unpredictable matters. We always discuss and agree fees before starting work.

Principal Solicitor
Senior Solicitor 10yr+ PQE

£350
per hour + VAT

Associate Solicitor
5yr+ PQE

£250
per hour + VAT

Solicitor / Senior Caseworker
Under 5yr PQE

£180
per hour + VAT
📋 You will always be provided with a cost estimate before we begin work. We provide regular cost updates throughout your matter so there are no surprises.

What Makes a Matter Complex?

The following factors may increase the time and cost of your matter:

  • Previous negative decisions from the Home Office, Entry Clearance Officers, or Tribunals
  • Circumstances falling outside standard Immigration Rules
  • Previous criminal or civil convictions, cautions, or fines affecting good character
  • Previously undisclosed information that should have been reported earlier
  • Large volumes of documents requiring review
  • Need to liaise with third parties (GPs, social workers, authorities, charities)
  • Dependants included in the claim
  • Emergency or urgent timescales
  • Multiple hearings or contested proceedings

What Are Disbursements?

Disbursements are costs paid to third parties on your behalf. We will always advise you of likely disbursements before incurring them and obtain your authorisation first.

DisbursementTypical Cost (2024/2025)
Home Office application feesVaries by application type — see gov.uk visa fees →
Premium / Super Priority Service£500 – £1,000 (Home Office charge)
Biometric enrolment fee£19.20 per person
Immigration Health Surcharge£1,035 per year per adult (£776 students/children)
First-tier Tribunal fee£140 (notice of appeal) + £140 (oral hearing)
Upper Tribunal / High Court fee£255 – £528 depending on application
Divorce / Dissolution court fee£593
Consent / Clean Break Order filing fee£53
Legal Separation court fee£365
Financial proceedings court fee£255
Defended divorce respondent fee£245
Counsel / Barrister feesFrom £750 per hearing (varies by seniority and complexity)
Independent expert reports (medical/country)£500 – £3,000 depending on expert
Interpreter / translation fees£200 – £600 per appointment
Courier / postage / certified copiesAt cost
💡 VAT at 20% applies to our professional fees. Disbursements are charged at cost and are not subject to VAT unless stated by the third party provider. You may be exempt from court fees if you receive certain benefits or have a low income — check eligibility at gov.uk →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I qualify for Legal Aid? +
Legal Aid is available for Immigration and Asylum matters only, subject to a means test (financial assessment) and a merits test (strength of case). It is not available for family law, divorce, or other private matters. Contact us and we will assess your eligibility at no charge.
What does the initial consultation fee cover? +
The initial consultation (£220–£450+VAT depending on fee earner) covers a full review of your matter, advice on your options, and a clear recommendation on next steps. If you instruct us to proceed, this fee is deducted in full from your case costs.
Are payment plans available? +
We consider each situation individually and will always try to find a workable payment arrangement. Please discuss this with our team at the outset of your matter.
Will I get a fixed fee or be charged by the hour? +
Most immigration and standard divorce matters are handled on a fixed fee basis for certainty. Complex, contested, or unpredictable matters may be charged at an hourly rate. We always discuss and agree the fee structure before starting work.
Can I get help with court fees? +
You may be eligible for Help with Fees (fee remission) if you have little or no savings, receive certain benefits, or have a low income. We can advise you on this. Check eligibility at gov.uk →
Are VAT and disbursements included in the quoted fees? +
Our professional fees shown are exclusive of VAT (20%). Disbursements (Home Office fees, court fees, interpreter fees etc.) are additional and charged at cost. We will always give you a full breakdown including VAT and expected disbursements before work begins.

Have a question about fees?

Call us on 020 8686 1085 or use the contact form — we're happy to discuss costs before you commit to anything.

Legal Aid Booking → Private Enquiry →