I am not practising as a barrister but wish to maintain my practising certificate. What should I do?

You will need to complete the Authorisation to Practise renewal via MyBar.   

If your status is as a self-employed barrister you must use the total fees you received (your Gross Fee Income) from practice at the Bar (without VAT) during the last calendar year, 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.  However, you must deduct from this any fees earned as an Arbitrator, Mediator or Umpire. 

Please note, you do not need to include any projected income for the purposes of our declaration. You are only required to provide your actual gross fee income. 

If your status is as an employed barrister, you must declare the income band appropriate to your gross earnings for the tax year ending 5 April 2024. Gross earnings would be taken before any salary sacrifice or deduction of pension contributions.  

If your status is as a dual capacity barrister i.e. as both an employed and a self-employed barrister, then you should combine your gross income under each separate status according to the rules for that status, as above. 

If this is your first practising certificate renewal then you will still need to enter your actual gross income received from practice but will need to additionally tick the box next to the relevant exception which will adjust your income band to band 1. This may also be the case if you are returning from parental leave. Please see the Bar Council’s Family Career Breaks Advice Pack for more information.