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I am not quite sure why everybody seems to be saying the fixed costs will hit solicitors. The fixed costs relate to what is recoverable from the defendant, not what the solicitor can charge his client. The solution is to tell your client that, if he wants you to take his case your charge will be £x (or £y plus the costs obtained from the other side) and set this out clearly in your retainer letter, making it clear your costs will be payable by the client whether or not the other side pay, win or lose, defendant solvent or bust. If the client does not want to instruct you on these terms he can always go elsewhere.
For my part I consider a client who is not paying at least a part of my fees is a client I do not want to have; those who do not pay do not appreciate the service they receive (and if you want an example of that look at the NHS).