
2025 No. 199
Legal Aid And Advice
The Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2025
Made 12th December 2025
Coming into operation 7th January 2026

The Department of Justice makes the following Rules in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 36(3) of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and now vested in it .
In accordance with Article 36(3) of that Order, the Department has consulted with the Lady Chief Justice, the Attorney General, the County Court Rules Committee and the Magistrates’ Courts Rules Committee and it has obtained the approval of the Department of Finance.

In accordance with Article 37 of that Order, the Department has had regard to the matter specified in that Article.
Citation and commencement
1 
These Rules may be cited as the Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2025 and shall come into operation on 7th January 2026.
2 
In these Rules a reference to a rule or Schedule by number alone is a reference to the rule or Schedule so numbered in or to the Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Application and transitional arrangements
3 
These Rules apply for the determination of costs which are payable in respect of work done under a criminal aid certificate granted under Article 28, 28A or 30 of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 on or after 1st December 2024.
4 
These Rules shall not apply for the determination of costs which are payable in respect of work done under a criminal aid certificate granted under Article 28 of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 on or after 1st December 2024, where the assisted person was a child charged with an indictable only offence, and whose case was dealt with in the magistrates’ court as provided for under Article 17 of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998.
5 
Where a certificate was granted under Article 28, 28A or 30 of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 on or after 1st December 2024, and a representative’s remuneration has been determined under rule 5 for work done under that certificate, the representative may claim, and the Department shall authorise, a claim for an additional amount equal to the difference between the amount determined under rule 5 and the amount that would have been determined in accordance with these Rules.
6 
A claim under rule 5 of these Rules shall be submitted to the Department in such form and manner as it may direct and shall be accompanied by such particulars and documents as it may specify.
Amendments to the Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009
7 
The Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009 are amended as follows.
8 
In Rule 3—
(a) in paragraph (1), for “paragraph (2)”, substitute “paragraphs (2) and (3)”;
(b) after paragraph (2), insert—“
(3) Without prejudice to paragraph (2), these Rules shall also not apply for the determination of costs which are payable in respect of work done under a criminal aid certificate granted under Article 28 of the 1981 Order on or after 1st December 2024, where the assisted person was a child charged with an indictable only offence, and whose case was dealt with in the magistrates’ court as provided for under Article 17 of the 1998 Order.”.
9 
In Schedule 1—
(a) in paragraph 1(1), after “made)”, insert “, but excluding cases where the assisted person was a child charged with an indictable only offence, and whose case was dealt with in the magistrates’ court as provided for under Article 17 of the 1998 Order”;
(b) in paragraph 4, for “Subject to paragraph 5, the”, substitute “The”;
(c) omit paragraph 5;
(d) in paragraph 6(3), omit “or 5, as applicable”;
(e) in paragraph 7—
(i) in sub-paragraph (1), for “sub-paragraph (2)”, substitute “sub-paragraphs (2) and (3)”; and
(ii) after sub-paragraph (2), insert—“
(3) Where the assisted person was a child charged with an indictable only offence, whose case was dealt with in the magistrates’ court as provided for under Article 17 of the 1998 Order, and whose case was heard on appeal in the county court, the standard fee payable under sub-paragraph (1) shall be enhanced by fifty per cent.”;
(f) in paragraph 9(3)(b), for “£44.75”, substitute “£51.91”, and for “£29.25”, substitute “£33.93”;
(g) following paragraph 9, for the Table of Standard Fees, substitute the following Table—“

Table 1 – Standard Fees
(1) Paragraph providing for fee(2) Solicitor’s Fee(3) Counsel’s Fee(4)
Cases heard in the magistrates’ court
Category of offence and nature of disposal of case
Summary offence 4  
-Guilty Plea Fee  £302 N/A
-Contest Fee  £545 N/A
Hybrid or I/TS offence 4  
- Guilty Plea Fee  £319 £319
- Contest Fee  £684 £638
Indictable only offence 4  
- Guilty Plea Fee  £348 £348
- Contest Fee  £696 £696
Hybrid, I/TS or indictable only offence 4  
- Committal Fee  £951 £928
Compassionate Bail Application Fee 6(1)(bb) £209 £209
Other Bail Application Fee 6 £87 £139
Additional Hearing Fee 8 £232 per day £232 per day
Additional Contest Preparation Fee 8A  
- Summary offence  £87 N/A
- Hybrid or I/TS offence  £116 £116
- Indictable only offence  £116 £116
Additional Committal Preparation Fee 8B £476 £464
Cases appealed to the county court   
Nature of disposal of the appeal
Appeal against sentence fee 7(1) £307 £267
Appeal against conviction fee 7(1) £412 £406
Withdrawn appeal 7(2) £168 £58
Additional Hearing Fee 8 £232 per day £232 per day
Diversionary youth conferences (Preparation and Attendance) 9(1)(a)  
Lower standard fee-Conferences lasting up to and including one hour  £130 £97
Principal standard fee-Conferences lasting more than one hour but not exceeding two hours  £209 £157
Court-ordered youth conferences (Attendance only) 9(1)(b)  
Lower standard fee-Conferences lasting up to and including one hour  £81 £81
Principal standard fee-Conferences lasting more than one hour but not exceeding two hours  £130.50 £130.50”
(h) in paragraph 12—
(i) in sub-paragraph (4) and (7), for “£50”, substitute “£58”; and
(ii) in sub-paragraph (5A), omit “or 5, as applicable,”;
(i) in paragraph 12A(2), omit “or 5, as applicable”;
(j) in paragraph 13(4), for “£140”, substitute “£162”;
(k) in paragraph 14—
(i) in sub-paragraph (1), for “£75”, substitute “£87”; and
(ii) in sub-paragraph (2), omit “or 5, as applicable”;
(l) in paragraph 15(4), for “£100”, substitute “£116”;
(m) following paragraph 16, in Table 2—
(i) for “£50”, substitute “£58”;
(ii) for “£100”, substitute “£116”; and
(iii) for “£120”, substitute “£139”;
(n) in paragraph 18, for “£75”, substitute “£87”;
(o) in paragraph 18A(2), for “£75”, substitute “£87”;
(p) in paragraph 19, for “£80”, substitute “£93”;
(q) in paragraph 21—
(i) in sub-paragraph (1)(a), for “£24.75 per hour; and”, substitute “£60 per hour;”;
(ii) in sub-paragraph (1)(b), for “court.”, substitute “court; and”; and
(iii) after sub-paragraph (1)(b), insert—“
(c) Allow mileage, where payable, at the rate of 45p per mile.”.
(iv) in paragraph 22—
(v) in sub-paragraph (1)(a), for “£12 per hour; and”, substitute “£60 per hour;”;
(vi) in sub-paragraph (1)(b), for “court.”, substitute “court; and”; and
(vii) after sub-paragraph (1)(b), insert—“
(c) Allow mileage, where payable, at the rate of 45p per mile.”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 12th December 2025
Naomi R Long
Minister of Justice
The Department of Finance hereby approves the RulesSealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 12th December 2025
Maryann Smith
A senior officer of the Department of Finance
