Q&A for high-volume claims declaration

Our purpose is to protect consumers, and to maintain public trust and confidence in the provision of legal services. We do this by seeking to pre-empt risk and by acting when risks are identified. This declaration is intended to serve this objective.

We have concerns that some firms in the high-volume consumer claims sector are falling short of the standards we and the public expect of them. Our concerns are detailed in our thematic review. As a result, we are seeking compliance declarations from all firms in this sector. Firms who are not compliant will need to confirm the urgent action being taken to bring their firm into compliance.

We will assess all declarations provided to us. We may carry out further follow-up work with firms to verify their declarations. This may include further dialogue via correspondence, or a request for more information on specific areas, onsite inspections of some firms, and could also include referral to a formal investigation. 

We will use the full range of our regulatory powers where we identify non-compliance with our Standards and Regulations. This is to protect consumers from harm and to maintain trust and confidence in the provision of legal services.

We emailed the COLPs at firms we identified as working in the high-volume claims sector. Firms may also receive a follow up call or email from our Thematic Team.

Completing the declaration is mandatory. Under Rule 3.3 of the Code of Conduct for Firms, you have a regulatory obligation to ensure that your firm, if asked, provides the information we have requested.

If we do not receive a response by Friday 3 October 2025 we may take disciplinary action or issue your firm with a fixed financial penalty,

The firm's managing partner, CEO or equivalent.

You must take reasonable steps to ensure that the information you provide is accurate. If you knowingly or recklessly give information that is false or misleading, or if you fail to tell us about any significant information, we may take disciplinary action. 

Friday 3 October 2025.

You will need to provide information about your firm's:

• annual turnover
• types of consumer claims work
• number of legally qualified and non-legally-qualified fee earners
• referral arrangements
• marketing and publicity
• client onboarding arrangements
• litigation funding agreements
• After-the-event insurance
• client care, costs information, and advice.

To help you prepare to complete the declaration, you can view a full version of the questions you will be asked.

• Main declaration form (PDF 16 pages, 372KB)

Depending on your firm's arrangements, you may be required to complete further information forms:

• Referrer information form (PDF 4 pages, 223KB)
• Litigation funder information form (PDF 4 pages, 205KB)
• ATE insurance provider information form (PDF 2 pages, 155KB)
• Marketer information form (PDF 3 pages, 196KB)

You must complete the declaration using the online form. The link to the online form has been emailed to selected COLPs.

We understand that firms have different ways of storing information and these may not always align with the questions we ask. In particular, we recognise that trusts and company services may cross several different work areas and departments. You are expected to use your best efforts to answer the questions accurately, as this will improve the quality of our data and our assessment of risk. If this is not possible, though, please give your best estimate.

This declaration takes up to two hours to complete if you have all the information to hand. It may take longer if your firm carries out multiple types of consumer claims, and/or has multiple referrers, litigation funders, ATE insurers, and marketers.

The declaration requires completion in one sitting to avoid losing the information you have entered.

If you have any issues, please contact the Thematic Team.

Once you have completed and submitted your declaration, you will receive an email attaching a PDF copy of your responses.

Please ensure that the email address you provide is correct.

We require all firms working in the high-volume consumer claims sector to provide a declaration, including those who previously responded to any surveys about their consumer claims work in 2024.

Yes. Please confirm on the declaration that you do not carry out any consumer claims work for individual consumers.

Please contact the Thematic Team if you have any further queries.

We are taking a staged approach to asking firms to complete the declaration and so you may receive a request from us at a later date. We will contact your firm directly if we need you to complete the declaration. If you have not received a direct request from us to complete the declaration then you do not need to take any action.

No, this is a separate exercise which asks different questions. You will still need to submit your usual practising certificate renewal data in October 2025.

Please contact the Thematic Team to inform us that you have submitted an incorrect declaration.

Please then submit a new declaration online with the correct information.

Please contact the Thematic Team to confirm what reasonable adjustments you require.