The SRA warns against ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements
updated on 03 February 2026
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published a warning notice on ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements in high-volume consumer claims (HVCC) following concerns that practitioners weren’t acting in their clients’ best interests.
Last year, the SRA found a significant level of poor practice in the way some claims were being handled. Ultimately, the SRA’s greatest concern was that fee arrangements with clients in HVCC spaces weren’t meeting expected standards.
A number of issues were specifically highlighted, including:
- the lack of transparency about client fees if a claim succeeds, including any charges or deductions;
- the lack of clarity about the costs and risks involved in a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement;
- the compromising of clients’ interests;
- the failure to ensure that companies and lead generators used are complying with regulatory obligations and SRA standards;
- the failure to take responsibility for the accuracy of third‑party advertising;
- poor management of measures designed to protect clients from financial harm if their claim fails; and
- the use of ‘no win, no fee’ in marketing materials without ensuring communications are clear, accurate and not misleading.
The Law Society of England and Wales President Mark Evans welcomed the reminder, stressing: “Consumers need better information about what ‘no win, no fee’ means in practice.”
He added: “We recommended that the regulator could better protect consumers involved in high-volume consumer claims, for example by exploring standardised protocols and clearer guidance and by ensuring consumers are not misled by the term ‘no win, no fee.’ The new warning notice is broadly in line with our suggestions.
“We made it clear that before any changes to processes are made, the SRA should focus on learning from the regulatory failures identified in the Legal Services Board’s review of SSB Group Limited.”
