Mediation pricing scaled to your case
Tiered by CPR track. Small claims start at £69 per side. Above £10k almost every case comes through a no-win-no-fee solicitor — they advance the mediation fee as a disbursement, recoverable from the other side on settlement or costs award under CPR Part 44.
Per-side fee by CPR track
Cheaper than the Court issue fee on most cases.
Universally NWNF-led. Solicitor advances as a disbursement, recoverable from the other side on settlement or costs award.
Universally NWNF-led. Recoverable disbursement under CPR Part 44, or built into the inter-party costs settlement.
Under 2% of the claim value, and recoverable as a disbursement from the losing party.
Both sides pay the same per-side fee. Claimant pays when starting the mediation; defendant pays on settlement only — no engagement fee, no charge if mediation fails.
Why scale the fee?
A small-claims dispute and a multi-track commercial claim need the same mediation engine but very different commercial settings.
- Below £10k — consumers act directly. £69 keeps the friction below the cost of a Court issue fee, so disputes that would otherwise rot get resolved.
- Above £10k — claims are universally solicitor-led on a no-win-no-fee basis. The solicitor advances the mediation fee as a disbursement, which is recoverable from the losing party as costs under CPR Part 44 or built into the inter-party costs settlement. It does not come out of the solicitor's DBA or CFA share — those govern profit costs, not disbursements.
- Multi-track (£100k+) — £1,999 is under 2% of the claim value, and a small fraction of the litigation costs the parties would avoid by settling.
What's included
Certificates and the mediation record are included in the per-side fee at every track. Whichever side acted in good faith can obtain the relevant certificate against the other.
📜 Refusal-to-Engage Certificate
Issued when an invitation is ignored. Sealed and dated. Cite Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil [2023] EWCA Civ 1416 in your costs schedule.
Included
📜 Bad-Faith Engagement Certificate
Available to either side. AI provides reasoning citing Northamber plc v Genee World [2024]. Useful in any subsequent costs argument.
Included
📄 Mediation Record
Issued automatically to both parties when the 14-day window closes without agreement, despite both sides engaging in good faith. Evidence of reasonable conduct under CPR 44.2.
Included
How that compares
Independent CMC accredited mediators charge £75 per side for sub-£5k claims, £320 per side for £5k–£15k, and £445 per side for £15k–£50k — and don't generate a binding settlement agreement.
CEDR's flagship Fixed Fee Service: £650 per side.
The Financial Ombudsman Service charges firms £650 per case once they exceed three free cases per year — whether the firm wins or loses.
Court costs on a fast-track trial alone start around £3,000 per side excluding disbursements.