Whether you qualify for Public Funding for mediation itself, the initial assessment
meeting is always completely free of charge.
At that meeting, the mediator will assess whether you qualify for free mediation
under the Public Funding (formerly Legal Aid) system. If not, the mediator will
be able to give you an accurate estimate of how much the mediation will cost you.
You will automatically be eligible for publicly funded mediation if you are in
receipt of Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or Guarantee State
Pension Credit.
If you are not in receipt of these benefits, you may still be eligible for publicly
funded mediation if your gross monthly income (which will include any income of
a new partner with who you are currently living) is less than £2,530. If you have
more than four children, then this level is increased by £211 for each additional
child. The regulations as to how the assessment is made are quite complicated
and the mediator will write to you before the initial assessment meeting to make
sure you bring the necessary documents so that the mediator can carry out the
calculation.
If you are eligible for publicly funded mediation, then the mediation is totally
free. Unlike other sorts of public funding (Legal Aid), the
Legal Services Commission will not claw-back the cost of mediation out of any money or assets
that you keep or get as a result of the mediation.
If you are not eligible for Public Funding, then our hourly rate of £100 per
person plus VAT,
will apply. The hourly rate is calculated on the time spent in the mediation
sessions themselves and any other work done by the mediator in connection with
the mediation, such as preparing the formal documentation that may be needed
to assist the mediation. The mediator will be able to explain at the free
initial assessment meeting the cost structure in more detail. Typically, the
total cost of mediation for each party will be between £200 plus VAT (if just a
single session discussing
issues concerning the children) and £900 plus VAT (if discussing financial issues, as well
as matters concerning the children, over three sessions).
Fees are payable at the end of each session and on the presentation of
an invoice following the preparation of each document. We are more than happy
to discuss other methods of payment such as standing orders, if that would help.