No win no fee is one of the most misunderstood concepts in UK personal injury law. This guide explains exactly how it works, what you pay and what you don't.

What is no win no fee?

No win no fee, formally known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), is a funding arrangement where your solicitor agrees to handle your case for free unless you win. If your claim is unsuccessful, you pay nothing to your solicitor. If you win, a success fee (a percentage of your compensation) is payable to your solicitor.

How does no win no fee work in practice?

Here's the process:

  1. You submit your accident claim and are connected with a specialist solicitor
  2. The solicitor assesses your claim and agrees to take it on a no win no fee basis
  3. The solicitor handles all aspects of your claim at no upfront cost to you
  4. If your claim is unsuccessful: you pay nothing
  5. If your claim is successful: a success fee (agreed in advance) is deducted from your compensation

What is the success fee?

The success fee is a percentage of your compensation that goes to your solicitor for taking on the financial risk of your case. Under UK law, the maximum success fee a solicitor can charge is 25% of your compensation (excluding future care and loss of earnings elements).

Your solicitor must tell you the exact success fee percentage before you sign any agreement, and you have a 14-day cooling-off period to change your mind.

What is Road Claim's role?

Road Claim itself is completely free. We are an accident management introducer: we arrange your hire vehicle, organise your repairs and connect you with the right solicitors. We are paid by the at-fault driver's insurer, not by you.

The no win no fee element only applies to the personal injury compensation claim handled by our partner solicitors. The vehicle repair and hire car are completely free regardless of whether you make an injury claim.

Is there any risk to me?

For the Road Claim service (hire car, repairs, excess protection) there is zero financial risk. These are recovered entirely from the at-fault party's insurer.

For the personal injury claim, under no win no fee you pay nothing if you lose. If you win, the success fee comes out of your compensation, so you never pay out of pocket.

Should I make a compensation claim?

If you were injured in a non-fault accident, you should strongly consider making a compensation claim. Even minor injuries like whiplash can entitle you to thousands of pounds in compensation, and the process costs you nothing upfront.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is After The Event (ATE) insurance?⌄
ATE insurance protects you if your claim is unsuccessful and you face the other side's legal costs. Your solicitor will advise whether ATE insurance is recommended for your case.
Can the other side claim costs from me if I lose?⌄
Under qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS), most personal injury claimants are protected from paying the defendant's legal costs even if they lose, provided the claim was brought in good faith.
How long do I have to make a personal injury claim?⌄
In England and Wales you have three years from the date of the accident (or from when you became aware of your injury) to make a personal injury claim. For children, the three-year period starts from their 18th birthday.