Form N208C UK: Acknowledge a Part 8 Claim (2026)

At a glance

• What N208C is: the notes for defendant that accompany an N208 Part 8 claim form, explaining how to complete Form N210, the Acknowledgment of Service.
• Who uses Part 8: a claimant may use the Part 8 "alternative procedure" where they want the court's decision on a question unlikely to involve a substantial dispute of fact (CPR 8.1(2)) — for example, interpreting a document or giving directions to a trustee, rather than a contested factual dispute.
• Standard deadline: file and serve Form N210 not more than 14 days after service of the claim form (CPR 8.3(1)).
• Inheritance Act claims: 21 days instead of 14 for claims under section 1 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (CPR Part 57).
• Written evidence: if you want to rely on it, it must normally be filed with the Acknowledgment itself (CPR 8.5(3)), not later — unless you are disputing jurisdiction.
• If you miss the deadline: you may still attend the hearing but cannot take part in it unless the court gives permission (CPR 8.4).
• Deadlines, deemed-service rules, forms and court fees can change — always check GOV.UK and the notes on your own claim form before you act.

What Form N208C actually is

Form N208C is the guidance leaflet issued to defendants who have been served with a Part 8 claim under the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). It is published alongside Form N208, the Part 8 claim form itself, and its job is to walk you through completing Form N210, the Acknowledgment of Service — the document where you tell the court and the claimant what your position is.

Part 8 is used where the claimant is not asking the court to resolve a substantial factual dispute. Common examples include asking the court to interpret a will or contract clause, give directions on how a trustee or personal representative should act, or decide a point that turns mainly on legal argument rather than disputed evidence. The precise types of claim for which Part 8 may or must be used are set out in CPR Part 8 and any enactment or practice direction that applies to the specific claim.

The N208C notes exist to explain each section of the Acknowledgment of Service and the consequences of ticking (or not ticking) it. Filing on time and completing the relevant sections accurately keeps your options open; filing late, or not at all, narrows what you can do once the case moves forward.

Part 8 versus Part 7: why the procedure matters

Part 8 is deliberately different from the standard Part 7 procedure used for most money claims and disputes over what happened. Under CPR 8.9, where the Part 8 procedure is followed:

• you are not required to file a separate Defence — the rules on statements of case and defence/reply (Parts 15 and 16) do not apply in the usual way;
• the claimant cannot obtain default judgment against you under Part 12 (CPR 8.1(5)); and
• the claim is treated as allocated to the multi-track, so the small claims/fast track allocation rules in Part 26 do not apply.

The court also retains a general power, at any stage, to order that a Part 8 claim continue as if the claimant had not used the Part 8 procedure — for example, if it turns out there is a substantial dispute of fact after all (CPR 8.1(4)). If you believe Part 8 was the wrong procedure for the claim against you, the N208C notes explain that you should say so in your Acknowledgment (see "Objecting to the use of Part 8" below).

Working out your deadline

The response period runs from the date the claim form is treated as served — not the date it was posted or the date on the claim form itself. According to the N208C notes, the deemed date of service depends on how the form reached you:

• Sent by post: the period begins 2 business days from the date of the postmark on the envelope.
• Delivered or left at your address: the period begins the second business day after it was delivered.
• Handed to you personally: the period begins the second business day after you were given it.

From that deemed date, you normally have 14 days to file and serve Form N210 (CPR 8.3(1)). For claims under section 1 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, the period is 21 days instead, under the modified rules in CPR Part 57. Some circumstances — such as service out of the jurisdiction, or an agreed extension — can lengthen these periods further; check GOV.UK and the current N208C notes for how those exceptions apply to your claim.

Work out this date carefully before doing anything else, diary it immediately, and leave buffer time for postage or court filing delays.

Completing the Acknowledgment of Service: sections A to G

The N208C notes describe the Acknowledgment of Service (Form N210) as built from several sections. You complete the ones relevant to your position, but sections F and G — your details and the statement of truth — must always be completed.

| Section | Purpose | |---|---| | A | You do not contest the remedy the claimant is asking for. If the claimant is only seeking directions rather than a specific order, you can say how you want the court to direct them to act. | | B | You do contest the remedy sought, or you want a different remedy — CPR 8.3(2)(b) requires you to state what that different remedy is. | | C | You intend to dispute the court's jurisdiction. Ticking this preserves the point; you then need to file a separate application disputing jurisdiction within 14 days of filing your Acknowledgment. | | D | You object to the use of the Part 8 procedure itself, because you say there is a substantial dispute of fact and no rule or practice direction permits Part 8 for this claim (CPR 8.8(1)). | | E | You wish to rely on written evidence — see the section below on evidence. | | F | Your name (or the name of the defendant on whose behalf you are completing the form). | | G | The statement of truth, signed by you, your solicitor, your litigation friend, or (for a company or corporation) an appropriate officer. |

Keep your wording in each section brief and factual. Detailed argument belongs in your written evidence and, later, in submissions at the hearing — not in the Acknowledgment itself.

Written evidence: what CPR 8.5 requires

Unlike some other civil procedures, Part 8 does not usually give you a separate window to file evidence after the Acknowledgment. Under CPR 8.5(3), if you want to rely on written evidence, you must file it when you file your Acknowledgment of Service — unless you have indicated an intention to contest jurisdiction, in which case the evidence must be filed within 14 days of filing the Acknowledgment if no jurisdiction application is made. Whenever you file evidence, you must serve a copy on the other parties at the same time (CPR 8.5(4)).

The N208C notes add that any written evidence must be verified by a statement of truth, or the court may disallow it. The parties may agree a written extension of time — up to 14 days for the defendant's evidence, and up to 28 days for the claimant's evidence in reply (CPR 8.5(9)) — but that agreement must itself be filed with the Acknowledgment, or within 48 hours if it relates to evidence in reply (CPR 8.5(10)). The claimant then has 14 days from service of your evidence to file further evidence in reply (CPR 8.5(5)).

Inheritance Act 1975 claims: extra evidence requirements

Where the defendant is a personal representative of the deceased and the claim is brought under section 1 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, the N208C notes require written evidence covering, to the best of the defendant's ability:

• the value of the deceased's net estate, as defined in section 25 of the Act;
• the person or classes of person beneficially interested in the estate, including the names and (where they are not parties) addresses of living beneficiaries, and the value of their interests so far as known;
• whether any living beneficiary is a child or protected party; and
• any facts that might affect how the court exercises its powers under the Act.

This is a more substantial evidential exercise than a standard Part 8 acknowledgment, and getting it right early can matter a great deal for how the claim proceeds. Check the current Part 57 rules and practice direction on GOV.UK for the full detail.

What happens if you don't file in time

CPR 8.4 sets out the consequence of not filing an Acknowledgment of Service within the time allowed: you may still attend the hearing of the claim, but you cannot take part in it unless the court gives you permission. In practice, that means the claim can proceed largely on the claimant's evidence and submissions, without your input being heard.

If you have already missed the deadline, file the Acknowledgment as soon as possible and be ready to explain the delay — the court retains discretion to allow you to take part. Do not assume the case is lost simply because the 14 (or 21) days have passed; act quickly instead.

Objecting to the use of Part 8

If you consider that the claimant should not have used Part 8 — because there is a substantial dispute of fact and no rule or practice direction permits Part 8 for this type of claim — the N208C notes direct you to set out your reasons in Section D when you file your Acknowledgment (CPR 8.8(1)). Once the court receives your Acknowledgment and any written evidence, it will give directions for the future management of the case, which can include ordering the claim to continue as if the claimant had not used the Part 8 procedure at all (CPR 8.1(4), CPR 8.8(2)).

Step by step: what to do now

1. Check when service took place. Work out your deemed date of service using the rules above — this is when your clock starts, not the date the claimant signed or posted the form.
2. Identify the correct response window. 14 days for most Part 8 claims, 21 days for section 1 Inheritance Act 1975 claims. Diary the deadline immediately with buffer time built in.
3. Decide your position. Before completing any section, think through whether you accept what is being asked, want to contest it, want a different outcome, want to dispute jurisdiction, or believe Part 8 is the wrong procedure altogether.
4. Complete the relevant sections of Form N210 accurately. Sections A to E cover your substantive response; F and G — your details and statement of truth — are always required.
5. Prepare your written evidence at the same time, if you intend to rely on any, and have it verified by a statement of truth — it normally needs to go in with the Acknowledgment, not afterwards.
6. File and serve before the deadline. Send the completed Acknowledgment (and any evidence) to the court named on the claim form, and serve copies on every other party on the same day. Keep proof of filing and service.

This page explains the general framework for responding to a Part 8 claim in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and does not cover every circumstance — Part 8 is used for a wide range of claims, from probate and trust disputes to questions of statutory interpretation, and the right response depends on the specific claim form you have received. Always read the notes on your own N208C form and check GOV.UK and the Civil Procedure Rules for the current position on deadlines, forms, and fees, since these are subject to change. The law described was accurate as at July 2026.