Lawyers slapped with fee hike as regulator scrambles to fix its ‘foundations’

Lawyers and law firms will soon face increased fees to support the Solicitors Regulation Authority s “transformation” strategy, as the regulator looks to reinvent itself following a string of high-profile corporate collapses in recent years. As announced in its 2026-27 business plan, the regulator will increase its practising certificate price by over 26 per cent from £190 in 2025-26 to £240. The increase is expected to generate £111.5m. A qualified solicitor in England and Wales needs a practising certificate in order to provide legal services. Since 2021-22, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has now increased the fees by more than 65 per cent from £145. Its discretionary fund is seeing the largest jump in fees for both lawyers and law firms. The compensation fund is a safety net for clients, small businesses, charities, and trusts who suffer financial loss because a solicitor or law firm stole money or failed to account for money. The fund has been forced to step