No Win No Fee in the United Kingdom
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
Read moreConditional Fee Agreements
How CFAs work and what success fees mean
Read moreDamages-Based Agreements
DBAs explained — the UK contingency model
Read moreAfter-the-Event Insurance
ATE insurance and disbursement risk
Read moreQOCS Explained
Cost protection for personal injury claimants
Read moreCosts Explained
Solicitor costs, disbursements, and who pays
Read moreWhat If I Lose?
What you may still pay if the claim fails
Read moreNo Win No Fee in Scotland
Success fee agreements — a different regime
Read moreNo Win No Fee in Northern Ireland
A separate courts and regulation system
Read moreUK Nations Compared
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Read morePart 36 Offers
Settlement offers and their cost consequences
Read moreContingency Fee vs CFA
How the US and UK systems compare
Read moreLegal Glossary
50+ legal terms explained in plain English
Read morePractice 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
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.