The Law Society is seeking a 2% rise in its share of the annual practising certificate fee.
For 2026/27 Chancery Lane is proposing a PC fee contribution of £38.25m, up from £37.5m in 2025/26. However, the amount payable by each solicitor will not be known until the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which accounts for the bulk of the charge, reveals its own budgetary plans shortly.
The regulator has warned that a sharp rise in reports of alleged misconduct could lead to a increase in its own levy.
This year the total levy per individual was £326, up from £307 in each of the previous two years. The Society accounts for under 30% of that sum and the SRA about half. The remaining funds raised from the PC fee are split between the ombudsman, Legal Services Board, Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and The Office of Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision.
A Law Society spokesperson said: ‘We are proposing a 2% increase in the income the Law Society receives from the practising certificate (PC) fee in 2026/27. This increase is deliberately set below inflation to help limit the financial impact on our members.
’We will use reserves to cover the remaining cost pressures rather than passing the full increase on through the PC fee. We estimate that this 2% increase in the Law Society’s share of the PC fee will add around £1-£2 to the average individual PC fee for the year. This will support continued investment in the services, representation and support we provide to solicitors and help us deliver more of what is important for the profession and society.’
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