Online legal matching service for one niche

Usually the law firms, who pay for introductions or for advertising. Whether a payment counts as a referral fee or as marketing, and whether it is allowed, depends on the type of case and the firm's regulator rules, so check this before agreeing any fee. Charging the person seeking help is possible in some set-ups, but check the rules first.

A fixed fee per enquiry sent to a firm, or a monthly listing or subscription fee, structured in line with the rules that apply to the firms you work with. Income depends on how many good-quality enquiries you can attract.

• Clear, plain-English writing
• Building relationships with law firms
• Basic website and online advertising know-how

• Rules on referral fees differ by type of case. Paying or receiving referral fees is banned for personal injury cases, and other areas have their own restrictions, so check with the SRA before agreeing any payment. Solicitors also have duties to be open with clients about how they received the enquiry
• Check whether your activity counts as claims management, which the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates for certain claim types, or as regulated advice. Some niches may need FCA authorisation before you trade, so avoid those until you have checked
• Pay the ICO data protection fee if it applies to you and follow UK GDPR, as you will hold sensitive personal details
• Never imply you give legal advice, and be clear that firms are independent of you
• Check advertising rules (ASA and CAP codes) and keep fees transparent so the service stays fair to the public

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on how you build your website and how much you spend on online advertising. Treat these as estimates and check any regulatory costs separately.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on your niche, your traffic and the arrangements you agree with law firms. Whether a payment from a firm is allowed depends on the case type, so check first.

Check SRA rules on referral fees before agreeing any payment, as they differ by case type. Also check whether your activity counts as claims management under the FCA, the ICO data protection fee and UK GDPR, and advertising rules.