County Court Forms UK: How to Start a Claim

At a glance

• Starting a claim: Form N1 (CPR Part 7) starts most money and civil claims; Form N208 (CPR Part 8) is used instead where the case turns mainly on a point of law rather than disputed facts.
• Responding to a claim: under CPR rule 15.4, the general rule is 14 days from service of the particulars of claim to file a defence, or 28 days if you file an acknowledgment of service (form N9) within the first 14 days.
• Track allocation: under CPR rule 26.9, a defended claim normally goes to the small claims track (up to £10,000), the fast track (up to £25,000), the intermediate track (up to £100,000, introduced October 2023) or the multi-track (higher-value or more complex claims).
• Applying within a live claim: Form N244 is the general application notice — it is not used to start a claim.
• Court fees: most claim forms and applications carry a fee; always check the current amount on GOV.UK before filing rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere.
• Help with fees: the Help with Fees scheme (form EX160) can reduce or remove the fee if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits.
• Enforcement: if a judgment goes unpaid, options include a warrant of control, an attachment of earnings order, a third-party debt order and a charging order.

What this document is

The County Court is the main civil court for England and Wales. It hears disputes between individuals, between individuals and businesses, and between businesses themselves, covering things like unpaid debts, faulty goods and services, housing possession, contract disagreements, and personal injury claims below a certain value threshold.

Higher-value or more complex matters may be dealt with in the High Court instead. County Court forms are the standardised documents the court uses to process each stage of a claim, from the form that starts it through to the forms used to respond, apply for a court order, get judgment, and — if the other side still does not pay — enforce that judgment.

Using the right form at the right time keeps your case on track and avoids the frustration of having paperwork returned by the court office. This page gives you the overview; our full guide to County Court forms and glossary of County Court terms go into more depth on individual forms and vocabulary.

Which form do you need?

Most people who end up dealing with the County Court fall into one of four situations: starting a claim, responding to one, applying for an order in a case that is already running, or enforcing a judgment once they have it. Which form family you need follows directly from that.

Starting a money claim. Form N1, used under CPR Part 7, is the standard claim form for a debt, damages, or another civil remedy. For a claim of £25,000 or less where you know the exact amount owed, GOV.UK's online civil money claims service is usually the fastest route; for higher-value or unspecified claims, or where you need to apply for help with the fee by post, you file on paper instead. See our N1 claim form guide for what to include in your particulars of claim.

Not every claim is a Part 7 money claim. Where the dispute turns mainly on a point of law and the facts are not seriously contested — some trust, probate or contractual interpretation questions, for example — a Part 8 claim using Form N208 is used instead. See our Form N208 guide.

Responding to a claim. If you have been served with a claim, the response pack sent with it includes Form N9, which lets you acknowledge service and, if you need it, buy an extra 14 days before a full defence is due. Depending on how you want to respond, you then use the relevant variant to admit, defend, or counterclaim. See our N9 response pack guide.

Applying within a live claim. Once a claim is under way, Form N244, the general application notice, is used to ask the court to make a decision on something that has come up, such as setting aside a default judgment or extending a deadline. See our Form N244 guide.

Enforcing a judgment. Winning your case, or obtaining a default judgment, does not guarantee you get paid. If the debtor does not pay voluntarily, enforcement routes include a warrant of control, a charging order over the debtor's property (Form N379), and an attachment of earnings order. A debtor who wants to change the payment terms or suspend enforcement applies using Form N245.

How claims are allocated: the four tracks

If a claim is defended, the court allocates it to one of four case-management tracks under CPR rule 26.9, based on the value of the claim and how complex it is. The track affects how formally the case is managed, what costs the losing side can be ordered to pay, and how long the case is likely to take to reach a hearing.

• Small claims track — normally used for claims of £10,000 or less. Lower limits apply to some claims: personal injury claims where the damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity fall below a set figure, and a tenant's claim against a landlord for repairs where the estimated cost of the work is £1,000 or less. Costs recovery on this track is tightly limited under CPR rule 27.14 — even the winning side generally cannot recover their legal costs beyond fixed amounts, which is part of why the track is designed to work without a solicitor.
• Fast track — normally used for monetary claims of £25,000 or less that are not suitable for the small claims track, where the trial is expected to take no more than a day.
• Intermediate track — introduced in October 2023, normally used for claims of up to £100,000 where the trial is expected to take no more than three days and oral expert evidence is limited.
• Multi-track — the track for claims that do not fit the other three, including higher-value and more complex cases. Some categories — including mesothelioma claims and certain clinical negligence and police claims — must go to the multi-track regardless of value.

The relevant directions questionnaire tells the court what it needs to allocate your case correctly: Form N180 for the small claims track, or Form N181 for the fast, intermediate or multi-track. If your claim looks likely to sit on the small claims track, our small claims court guide covers what to expect in more detail.

How to use this document

1. Work out what type of claim you are bringing. Before selecting a form, be clear on what you are asking the court to do. Are you claiming a fixed sum of money, seeking possession of a property, applying for an order against an existing claim, or enforcing a judgment you already have? The form you need depends directly on this answer, and getting it wrong usually means starting again.
2. Gather your evidence and particulars. The court needs to understand your side of the story in writing. Put together copies of contracts, invoices, correspondence, photographs, and anything else that supports what you are saying. You will need to set out the facts clearly on the form itself or in attached particulars of claim, so organising your material first saves time and reduces the risk of leaving something important out.
3. Choose the correct form and complete it carefully. Download the right form from GOV.UK and read the guidance notes that sit alongside it. Fill in every relevant section, use the defendant's full legal name and current address, and be specific about the amount claimed or the order you want. Unclear or incomplete forms are often rejected by the court office and sent back for correction.
4. Pay the court fee. Issuing a claim or making an application generally involves a fee, and the amount depends on the value of the claim or the type of application. Check GOV.UK's EX50 fee schedule for the current amount, as fees are reviewed periodically. If your income is low, you may be able to apply for help with fees using the EX160 process, which can reduce or remove the charge.
5. Submit the form and keep copies. You can issue many money claims online through GOV.UK's civil money claims service, or you can post or hand-deliver paper forms to the Civil National Business Centre or your local County Court hearing centre. Whichever route you take, keep copies of everything you send and note the date. Once the court has processed your paperwork, it will send the claim to the defendant and timelines for response begin to run.

This guide provides general information about County Court forms and procedure in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances — court fees, form versions and procedural rules change from time to time, so always check GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk for the current position before filing.

Last reviewed: August 2026 by a non-practising solicitor · Next review due: August 2027 or on legislative change.