What do solicitors charge for a deputyship application?

The core paperwork is the same whoever fills it in: the application form (COP1, or COP1A and COP1B for a property and affairs deputyship), the capacity assessment (COP3), and the deputy's own declaration (COP4). Every current Court of Protection form, and the guidance for completing them, is on gov.uk, and the application can be started online. Filling it in yourself costs nothing beyond the court's own fees, and plenty of families do it that way, particularly for a personal welfare deputyship, which tends to involve less paperwork than one covering property and money.

Where families lean toward a solicitor is usually the property and affairs side: a house that may need selling, more than one bank account or investment, or a family that does not fully agree on who should be deputy. A solicitor cannot make a contested case simple, but they know what the court expects to see, and a form returned for correction costs more time than getting it right the first time.

If your parent still understands what they are agreeing to, it is worth checking whether a lasting power of attorney is possible before any of this: it costs far less to register than a deputyship costs to apply for, and needs no solicitor or court at all. Gov.uk explains how to set up and register an LPA, and our guide to every fee in a deputyship application compares the two costs side by side, along with the rest of the process from application to the order arriving.

Practice Direction 19B sets a fixed cost of £1204 plus VAT for a solicitor's work up to and including the date the court makes its order appointing a property and affairs deputy. That figure is the baseline the court itself expects, so it is a fair number to compare any quote against. In practice, firms price around it depending on how much work the case involves: a simple, uncontested application often sits close to the guideline figure, while one with a property to account for, or paperwork spread across several institutions, is quoted higher within the usual market range.

The switch from a fixed fee to an hourly rate is not usually something a solicitor decides alone partway through. A firm that quotes a fixed fee upfront should also say, in writing, what would move the case onto hourly billing, so there are no surprises if a family member objects or the court lists a hearing. A personal welfare deputyship, which has no money to manage and less paperwork around it, is often quoted lower than a property and affairs one.

1. 1

   Ask for the fee in writing before you start

   Step 1

   Get a written quote that says whether it is fixed or capped, what work it covers, and what would move it onto an hourly rate. A firm that will not put its fee in writing is worth asking about twice.
2. 2

   Take the free first call most firms offer

   Step 2

   Many solicitors who handle Court of Protection work offer a short initial call at no charge, to hear the situation and say whether it needs their help before you commit to a fee.
3. 3

   Check they handle this kind of case regularly

   Step 3

   A firm that files a deputyship application every month is more likely to get the forms right the first time than one that takes on the work occasionally alongside wills and probate.
4. 4

   Ask what happens if the court returns the form

   Step 4

   A rejected application costs time either way, so ask upfront whether correcting and re-filing it is covered by the fee you have agreed, or charged again.
5. 5

   Confirm who pays, and when

   Step 5

   For a property and affairs deputyship, reimbursement usually happens after the order arrives, so the fee is often paid from your own money first. Agree with the solicitor whether they will wait to be reimbursed or want paying upfront.

If a family disagreement is what is driving the need for a solicitor, Am I legally responsible for my elderly parent? is worth reading alongside this, since it covers what family members are and are not obliged to do, separately from who becomes deputy.

None of this replaces the everyday care your parent may need while the legal side gets sorted. You can search vetted carers near them or use the care cost calculator to see what help in their area typically costs, while a solicitor or the court deals with the deputyship separately.