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No Win No Fee in the United Kingdom

England & WalesLast reviewed 2 August 2026

In the UK, "no win no fee" refers to a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Your solicitor charges no professional fees if your case is unsuccessful. If you win, the solicitor charges base costs plus a success fee. The success fee cannot exceed 100% of those base costs, and in a personal injury claim no more than 25% of specified damages may be taken from your compensation. QOCS usually protects you from paying the defendant's costs if you lose, but it is qualified and can be lost. CFAs are permitted by section 58 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 as amended. This page covers England and Wales.

Researching the US instead? Compare with US contingency fee arrangements or read our guide to US contingency fees. See exactly who writes, sources and checks our UK material in the editorial disclosure.

Understanding No Win No Fee

Direct Answer: No win no fee in the UK is a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) where the solicitor charges no fees if the case loses. If it wins, they recover their base costs plus a success fee, which cannot exceed 100% of those base costs. Separately, in a personal injury claim no more than 25% of (a) general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity and (b) damages for past pecuniary loss — but not damages for future pecuniary loss, and after deducting any benefits recoverable by the Compensation Recovery Unit. That cap applies to proceedings at first instance. CFAs apply across personal injury, clinical negligence, employment and housing disrepair claims in England and Wales.

What Is No Win No Fee?

CFAs under the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

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Conditional Fee Agreements

How CFAs work and what success fees mean

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Damages-Based Agreements

DBAs explained — the UK contingency model

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After-the-Event Insurance

ATE insurance and disbursement risk

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QOCS Explained

Cost protection for personal injury claimants

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Costs Explained

Solicitor costs, disbursements, and who pays

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What If I Lose?

What you may still pay if the claim fails

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No Win No Fee in Scotland

Success fee agreements — a different regime

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Choosing a Solicitor

How to check and compare firms

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Part 36 Offers

The cost of rejecting a settlement offer

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Fee Disputes & Complaints

If a deduction looks wrong

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No Win No Fee in Northern Ireland

A separate courts and regulation system

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UK Nations Compared

England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

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Part 36 Offers

Settlement offers and their cost consequences

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Contingency Fee vs CFA

How the US and UK systems compare

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Legal Glossary

50+ legal terms explained in plain English

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Practice Areas

Personal Injury

Road traffic accidents, slips, trips, and falls

Road Traffic Accidents

RTA portal, OIC, whiplash reform

Employers' Liability

Workplace injuries and occupational disease

Public Liability

Injuries in public places

Medical Negligence

NHS and private treatment errors

Industrial Disease

Mesothelioma, NIHL, vibration white finger

Employment Law

Unfair dismissal, discrimination, ET claims

Housing Disrepair

Landlord obligations and tenant rights

Fatal Accidents

Fatal Accidents Act 1976 claims

Product Liability

Consumer Protection Act 1987

Financial Mis-selling

PPI, SIPP pensions, car finance

Abuse Claims

Historical abuse, institutional liability

Holiday Sickness

Package holiday illness claims

Data Protection

UK GDPR and data breach claims

Criminal Injuries

CICA scheme for violent crime victims

Dental Negligence

Negligent dental treatment claims

Cosmetic Surgery

Botched cosmetic procedure claims

Professional Negligence

Solicitor, surveyor, accountant negligence

Military Claims

Armed forces injury and MoD claims

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does no win no fee mean in the UK?

No win no fee in the UK refers to a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Your solicitor agrees to handle your case and charges no professional fees if your claim is unsuccessful. If you win, the solicitor charges their base costs plus a success fee — an uplift capped at 25% of your damages for personal injury claims.

What is a Conditional Fee Agreement?

A Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) is a legally binding contract between a client and a solicitor. The solicitor agrees to act on the basis that their fees are conditional on the outcome of the case. CFAs are regulated by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 and the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO).

Do I have to pay anything if I lose my case in the UK?

For personal injury claims, Qualified One-Way Costs Shifting (QOCS) means you are generally protected from paying the defendant's legal costs if you lose. However, you may still be liable for your own disbursements (medical report fees, court fees) unless covered by After-the-Event (ATE) insurance.

What is the success fee on a no win no fee claim?

The success fee is an uplift the solicitor charges on top of their base costs if the case succeeds. It cannot exceed 100% of those base costs. Separately, in a personal injury claim in England and Wales, no more than 25% of (a) general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity and (b) damages for past pecuniary loss — but not damages for future pecuniary loss, and after deducting any benefits recoverable by the Compensation Recovery Unit. That cap applies to proceedings at first instance. The two caps are different things and are often confused: one limits the uplift on costs, the other limits what can be deducted from your compensation.

What types of cases can I bring on a no win no fee basis in the UK?

The most common types include personal injury, road traffic accidents, employer's liability, clinical negligence, industrial disease, housing disrepair, and certain employment tribunal claims. Not all case types are suitable for CFAs — your solicitor will assess the merits before offering one.

Where this applies: This page covers England and Wales. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different.

Sources for this page

Every rule stated above is based on the primary sources below. Each link goes to the legislation, court rule or regulator itself so you can check it. Last verified 2 August 2026.

  1. Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, s.58 (conditional fee agreements)

    The provision that makes CFAs lawful and enforceable. CFAs derive from this section, not from LASPO.

  2. Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, arts. 4–5 · in force from 1 April 2013

    Art. 4 caps the success fee at 100% of base costs. Art. 5 caps what may be taken from damages in personal injury at 25% of PSLA plus past pecuniary loss, net of CRU, at first instance.

  3. Civil Procedure Rules, Part 44 (incl. rr.44.13–44.17, QOCS)

    Qualified one-way costs shifting and its exceptions. Rule 44.14 was amended with effect from 6 April 2023.

  4. Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, ss.44–46 · in force from 1 April 2013

    Ended recoverability of success fees and ATE premiums from the losing party. Did not create or regulate CFAs.

Who wrote and checked this page

Written and published by
Edward & Amaury Solicitors (Edward & Amaury Ltd, company no. 12195443), regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 800525.
Legal review
Checked for England & Wales by Edward & Amaury Solicitors — Solicitors regulated by the SRA (no. 800525) (verify on the regulator’s register).Review is recorded against the firm. The individual reviewer is not named on this page.
Review dates
Last reviewed 2 August 2026. Next review due 2 February 2027.

Fee rules change. California’s medical malpractice fee limits changed on 1 January 2023, and the QOCS rules in England and Wales changed on 6 April 2023. If you spot something out of date, tell us — we publish corrections.

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Where this applies: This page covers England and Wales. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different.

Sources for this page

Every rule stated above is based on the primary sources below. Each link goes to the legislation, court rule or regulator itself so you can check it. Last verified 2 August 2026.

  1. Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, s.58 (conditional fee agreements)

    The provision that makes CFAs lawful and enforceable. CFAs derive from this section, not from LASPO.

  2. Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, arts. 4–5 · in force from 1 April 2013

    Art. 4 caps the success fee at 100% of base costs. Art. 5 caps what may be taken from damages in personal injury at 25% of PSLA plus past pecuniary loss, net of CRU, at first instance.

  3. Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, ss.44–46 · in force from 1 April 2013

    Ended recoverability of success fees and ATE premiums from the losing party. Did not create or regulate CFAs.

  4. Civil Procedure Rules, Part 44 (incl. rr.44.13–44.17, QOCS)

    Qualified one-way costs shifting and its exceptions. Rule 44.14 was amended with effect from 6 April 2023.

Who wrote and checked this page

Written and published by
Edward & Amaury Solicitors (Edward & Amaury Ltd, company no. 12195443), regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 800525.
Legal review
This page has not yet been through independent legal review. It is written from the primary sources listed below, which you can check directly.
Review dates
Last reviewed 2 August 2026. Next review due 2 February 2027.

Fee rules change. California’s medical malpractice fee limits changed on 1 January 2023, and the QOCS rules in England and Wales changed on 6 April 2023. If you spot something out of date, tell us — we publish corrections.