Form N337 UK: Attachment of Earnings Order Guide
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When someone owes you money following a County Court Judgment and simply will not pay, the frustration is real. You have gone through the process, you have a judgment in your favour, and still nothing lands in your account. One route worth considering is an attachment of earnings order, which asks the court to take money directly from the debtor's wages through their employer.
Form N337 is the document you use to start that process in the County Court. This guide walks through what the order does, who it works against, how to file the form, and what happens after the court receives your request. It is written for creditors trying to recover a judgment debt from an employed individual in England or Wales.
What this document is
An attachment of earnings order is a County Court order directing a debtor's employer to deduct regular amounts from their wages and pay those sums over to you until the judgment debt is cleared. The court works out what the debtor can realistically afford after looking at their income and essential outgoings, then fixes a figure the employer must deduct each payday.
You do not negotiate directly with the employer. The order is sent to them by the court, and they are legally required to comply. This method only works if the debtor is actually in paid employment with an identifiable employer.
It is not available against people who are self-employed, serving in the armed forces, or trading through a limited company they own. There are also minimum thresholds for the size of the debt and the debtor must be in arrears on the judgment.
If those conditions are met, it can be one of the more reliable enforcement routes because the money comes straight out of pay before the debtor sees it.
How to use this document
- Check the debtor qualifies. Before you fill anything in, confirm the debtor is an employee (not self-employed, not a company, and not in the armed forces), that the amount still outstanding is above the minimum threshold set out in the court rules, and that they are behind on at least one payment under the judgment. If any of these points fail, this route is not open to you and another enforcement method may suit better. 2. Get Form N337 and the current fee information. Download Form N337 from gov.uk, which is the official request for an attachment of earnings order. You will also need to check the current court fee, as fees change from time to time. The fee schedule for civil proceedings is published on gov.uk and sets out the current amount payable with this application. 3. Complete the form accurately. Fill in the claim number, the names and addresses of the parties, the judgment details, the amount still owed, and the debtor's employer if you know it. Accuracy matters here because errors or missing employer details can slow things down. If you do not know where the debtor works, you may need to apply for an order to obtain information from the debtor first. 4. Send the form to the correct court with your fee. The application goes to the County Court Money Claims Centre or the appropriate County Court hearing centre as directed on the form. Include payment of the current fee. If the original judgment was made in a different court, the file will usually be transferred to the debtor's home court for enforcement. A stamped addressed envelope helps if you want written confirmation back. 5. Wait for the court to process the application. Once received, the court will send the debtor a notice giving them the chance to either pay the full balance at once or complete a statement of means setting out their income, outgoings, and employer details. The court uses that information to set the rate of deduction and then issues the order to the employer.
Common questions
Q Can I use Form N337 if the debtor is self-employed?
No. An attachment of earnings order only works where the debtor is an employee with a PAYE employer who can operate deductions from their wages. Self-employed people, sole traders, company directors drawing dividends, and members of the armed forces are outside its scope. If the debtor falls into one of those groups, you will need to look at other enforcement options such as a charging order or a writ of control.
Q What if I don't know where the debtor works?
You generally need employer details for the application to succeed, because the order has to be served on the employer. If you do not have them, you can apply to the court for an order to obtain information from the judgment debtor, which compels them to attend court and disclose details of their income and employment under oath. Once you have that information, you can then submit Form N337.
Q How much will the court take from the debtor's wages?
The court decides based on the debtor's statement of means, looking at their income and reasonable living expenses. There is a protected earnings rate below which deductions cannot reduce their take-home pay. The balance between what they earn and that protected rate determines how much the employer pays over to you each payday. It is often less than creditors hope for, but it is steady.
Q Is there a fee to apply?
Yes, a court fee applies when you submit Form N337. The amount is set by the Ministry of Justice and is updated from time to time, so check the current civil and family court fees on gov.uk before sending your application. If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may qualify for help with fees.
Q What happens if the debtor changes jobs?
The order is tied to the employer it was sent to, so if the debtor leaves that job the deductions stop. The debtor and the former employer are required to notify the court. You can apply to redirect the order to a new employer once you know who that is. If the debtor becomes unemployed or self-employed, the order effectively becomes ineffective until their situation changes.
Q Can the debtor challenge the order?
Yes. Once the court receives your application, the debtor is given notice and the opportunity to complete a statement of means. They can ask the court to suspend the order if they offer to pay by instalments voluntarily, or they can dispute the figures. A judge will decide the rate and can vary the order later if either party's circumstances change.
Q How long does the process take?
It varies by court and by how cooperative the debtor is. From filing Form N337 to the first deduction landing with you can easily take a couple of months, sometimes longer if the debtor delays returning the statement of means or if employer details need chasing. It is not a quick fix, but once the order is running, payments should arrive regularly.
Sources
This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.
- Guidance · UK GovForm N337 – Request for attachment of earnings order (gov.uk)gov.uk
- Guidance · UK GovMake someone pay you money they owe through an attachment of earnings order (gov.uk)gov.uk
- Guidance · UK GovCivil and Family Court Fees (EX50) (gov.uk)gov.uk
- LegislationAttachment of Earnings Act 1971legislation.gov.uk
Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.