Legal aid fees

Please note: Current and previous fee rates are provided - check the fee label to see the applicable period.

Which fees are you looking for?

Advice & Assistance: work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Before 26 April 2019

ABWOR: work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Before 26 April 2019

Advice & Assistance: Police station advice - work done or outlays incurred

Please see related
Criminal Advice and Assistance accounts guidance

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Pre and post 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021

Advice & Assistance: Police station advice - terrorism offences - work done or outlays incurred

  • Amended wording effective 15 November 2023 (no change to fee rates)
  • On or after 29 April 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 17 February 2021 and where the work is done on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 17 February 2021 and where the work is done before 22 March 2021)

ABWOR: Investigative liberation & application for questioning by prosecutor: where legal assistance is granted or made available

Please see related
Criminal Advice and Assistance accounts guidance

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Before 26 April 2019

ABWOR: In relation to application for & extension of warrant of further detention: where legal assistance granted/made available

Please see related
Criminal Advice and Assistance accounts guidance

  • Amended wording effective 15 November 2023 (no change to fee rates)
  • On or after 29 April 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 17 February 2021 and before 22 March 2021

ABWOR: Fees allowable to solicitors for proceedings under Schedule 6 of the National Security Act 2023

  • On or after 15 November 2023 (once relevant provisions have been commenced)

Advice & Assistance: Fees allowable to solicitors in relation to Section 27 and Schedule 6 of the National Security Act 2023

  • On or after 15 November 2023 (once relevant provisions have been commenced)

Criminal legal aid – ID parades and Court Duty: work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Pre 22 March 2021

Criminal legal aid - Solemn proceedings and summary detailed fees - work done or outlays incurred:

  • On or after 29 April 2023 – Schedule 1A
  • On or after 29 April 2023 – Schedule 1
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Before 26 April 2019

Criminal legal aid: Summary Criminal & ABWOR fixed payment (Schedule 1)

- where a plea of not guilty was tendered and case proceeds to trial in the sheriff court and exceeds 30 minutes or for proceedings in the JP court

  • Part 1: Applying to a case where criminal legal aid granted on or after 29 April 2023
  • Part 1: Applying to a case where criminal legal aid granted on or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023

Criminal: Summary Criminal & ABWOR fixed payment (Schedule 1A) where legal aid granted

- where a plea of not guilty was tendered in the sheriff court and the case does not proceed to trial beyond 30 minutes

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023

Criminal: Summary Criminal & ABWOR fixed payment (Schedule 1B) where criminal legal aid granted

- where a plea of guilty is tendered or the case is continued without plea

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023

Criminal: Summary Criminal & ABWOR fixed payment - Drug court cases where criminal legal aid granted

  • On or after 1 April 2022

Contempt of Court Proceedings: work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023

Civil legal aid - detailed fees

Simple procedure and First-tier Tribunal cases for work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023

Civil legal aid for work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Before 26 April 2019

Civil legal aid - Sheriff Court block fees for work done or outlays incurred

  • Where no action raised: on or after 29 April 2023
  • Where no action raised: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • Defended actions: on or after 15 November 2023
  • Defended actions: on or after 25 September 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • Defended actions: on or after 29 April 2023 but before 25 September 2023
  • Defended actions: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • Summary cause proceedings: on or after 29 April 2023
  • Summary cause proceedings: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • Executry business: on or after 29 April 2023
  • Executry business: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023

Children's legal aid for work done or outlays incurred

  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 29 April 2023
  • On or after 1 April 2022 but before 29 April 2023
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • On or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Automatic legal aid: on or after 22 March 2021
  • Automatic legal aid: on or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021

Counsel fees - Criminal Legal Aid

Proceedings in the High Court of Justiciary, Appeals, Sheriff and JP cases.
For previous fee tables, please see:
Schedule 2 - Fees of counsel for work done or outlays incurred on or after 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
Schedule 2 - Fees of counsel for work done or outlays incurred before 26 April 2019

  • High Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 15 November 2023
  • High Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 25 September 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • High Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 25 September 2023
  • High Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • High Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 15 November 2023
  • High Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 25 September 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • High Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 25 September 2023
  • High Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Appeal proceedings – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Appeal proceedings – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Appeal proceedings – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Appeal proceedings – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 15 November 2023
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 25 September 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 25 September 2023
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 15 November 2023
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 25 September 2023 but before 15 November 2023
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022 but before 25 September 2023
  • Sheriff and JP Court – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022

Counsel fees - Supreme Court

  • On or after 1 April 2022
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • After 26 April 2019 but before 22 March 2021
  • Before 26 April 2019
  • On or after 1 April 2022
  • On or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022

Counsel fees - Civil Legal aid

Proceedings in the Court of Session, Sheriff Appeal Court, Sheriff Court, First Tier Tribunal & Upper Tier Tribunal for Scotland


View fee tables prior to 22 March 2021 in regulations section

  • Notes on the operation of Schedule 4: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Court of Session – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Court of Session – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Sheriff Court, First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, Sheriff Appeal Court and Upper Tribunal for Scotland – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Sheriff Court, First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, Sheriff Appeal Court and Upper Tribunal for Scotland – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 1 April 2022
  • Notes on the operation of Schedule 4: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Court of Session – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Court of Session – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Sheriff Court, First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, Sheriff Appeal Court and Upper Tribunal for Scotland – Junior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022
  • Sheriff Court, First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, Sheriff Appeal Court and Upper Tribunal for Scotland – Senior Counsel fees: on or after 22 March 2021 but before 1 April 2022