| The Cost of Mediation |
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FMIS has a franchise to provide clients with Publicly Funded (also called Legally Aided ) mediation, either by referral through solicitors or by contacting us direct. Whether you are eligible for free funded mediation will be assessed at the introductory meeting. The general rule is that if you have a weekly disposable income of less than £146 a week calculated by taking your net income and deducting maintenance paid, housing costs and child minding costs and particular fixed rate allowances for your dependents and work expenses then you will qualify for Publicly Funded mediation.
If one client is financially eligible for public funding, then the Legal Services Commission meets the entire cost of his or her mediation at legal aid rates. The introductory assessment meeting is also free to the private client.
There is a detailed eligibility calculator on the Community Legal Service Direct website at
www.clsdirect.org.uk/legalhelp/calculator
Further information about the Community Legal Service funding of Legal Services, mediation and help with domestic violence and other support services can also be obtained from your local CAB and other CLS Information Points and from your solicitor. |
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Where a couple or an individual is not eligible for public funding there is a charge for mediation but we believe that mediation offers value for money.
Private clients are always told the hourly rate and an estimate of the overall cost before the mediation starts. The charges are payable at the end of each meeting and can be apportioned between the couple as they may agree.
Our mediators usually charge at the rate of £100 plus VAT per hour per person. This compares favourably with the cost of employing individual solicitors to conduct the case. You may like to check with your own solicitor how that compares with the cost of litigation. Usually, the only additional cost is for the provision of the Memorandum of Understanding, which will depend on the amount of time it takes to prepare.
The publicly funded client is not required to repay any mediation costs at any time to the Legal Services Commission. This is the opposite of the position with regard to the legal costs of litigation, which have to be repaid either immediately or in the future. This demonstrates how mediation is good value for both publicly funded and private clients.
We are now taking credit cards as an additional payment method.
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