Make a court claim for money

How to make a claim
Court fees
Claim the interest

After you make your claim
What happens at the hearing
Enforce a judgment

1. How to make a claim

You can apply to a county court to claim money you’re owed by a person or business.

This is known as making a court claim. It often used to be known as taking someone to a ‘small claims court’.

A mediation service could be quicker and cheaper than going to court. Mediation is when an impartial person helps both sides work out an agreement.

The process is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Make a claim

Make your claim online if you’re claiming for a fixed (‘specified’) amount of money.

Download and fill in a paper claim form N1 if you’re claiming for an unspecified amount of money.

You can also use the paper claim form to claim for a fixed amount.

Send the paper form to the County Court Money Claims Centre.

County Court Money Claims Centre
PO Box 527
Salford
M5 0BY

You must pay a court fee when you make a claim.
What happens next

You might have to go to a court hearing if the other person or business (the ‘defendant’) denies owing the money and you disagree with their response.

You can get the court to order them to pay if they:

don’t respond to your claim
admit they owe you but don’t pay

If they still don’t pay, you can ask the court to take further steps to collect the money - for example, by using bailiffs.
Get help making a claim

Contact the Money Claim Online helpdesk if you’re making the claim online.

Money Claim Online helpdesk
[email protected]
Telephone: 0300 123 1057
Telephone: 0160 461 9402
Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Contact the County Court Money Claims Centre if you’re using the paper claim form.

County Court Money Claims Centre
Telephone: 0300 123 1372
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges