Contract, invoice, loan, service or another obligation.
England & Wales money claims and small-claims track
England and Wales use the County Court for ordinary civil money claims. The online money-claim service can be used for many claims, but “small claims” is primarily a track within the civil court system rather than a separate small-claims court.
Last reviewed: 12 September 2026Ask JEZ AI about money owed to meVISUAL MONEY-CLAIM PATH
Money owed → demand → response → formal recovery.
Use this as a quick map. The detailed rules, deadlines and available remedies still depend on the selected jurisdiction and current official sources.
1Why is money owed?
2State the amount clearly
3Paid, disputed or ignored?
4Use the correct route
Show the balance, due date and records supporting the claim.
The next step changes with the other side’s response.
Small-claim, civil, payment-order or enforcement rules vary by jurisdiction.
Facts Evidence Correct local route Check current deadline / procedure
Jurisdiction-specific legal information
This guide separates England & Wales procedure from the other UK legal systems and is grounded in the official sources listed below. It is general legal information, not legal advice.
What matters
- GOV.UK says a person can apply to the County Court to claim money owed by a person or business, online or by post depending on the case.
- Current issue fees depend on the amount claimed and can change, so the live HMCTS fee table should be checked immediately before filing.
- For many disputed claims of £10,000 or less, HMCTS says court-organised mediation is mandatory and free.
- The claimant must identify the correct defendant and provide a usable address; suing the wrong legal entity can make a judgment difficult to enforce.
- Winning a judgment does not itself guarantee payment; enforcement is a separate stage if the debtor does not pay voluntarily.
What to do next
- 1Send a clear pre-action demand stating the legal basis, amount, calculation, evidence and reasonable response deadline.
- 2Identify the defendant’s exact legal name and address before filing.
- 3Calculate principal, any legally recoverable interest and court fee without inflating the claim.
- 4Organise the contract, invoice, delivery evidence, messages, payment history and any admission of debt.
- 5If proceedings are defended, comply with directions and mediation requirements and keep settlement communications organised.
“Small claims” is a track, not a separate court
GOV.UK explains that a money claim is made in the County Court. Lower-value cases are commonly allocated to the small-claims track, but allocation depends on the nature and value of the dispute. This matters because users often search for a “small claims court” and assume a separate institution exists.
Online and paper filing routes
HMCTS provides an online money-claim route for many straightforward claims. Paper form N1 is used where the online service is not suitable, including some cases involving multiple parties, uncertain amounts or other exclusions listed by GOV.UK.
Fees are claim-value dependent
HMCTS publishes a live fee schedule. The issue fee rises with the value of the claim and further fees can arise later. Help with Fees may be available to eligible applicants. Static articles should not hard-code fees without an update date because the amounts can change.
Mediation now matters in lower-value defended claims
HMCTS states that where a claim of £10,000 or less is disputed, the parties will generally be told they must attend court-organised mediation. The service is free. Failure to attend without adequate reason can lead to sanctions, including costs consequences or case-management orders.
Judgment and enforcement are different stages
If the defendant does not respond, admits the claim, or loses after a hearing, the claimant may obtain judgment. If payment still does not follow, enforcement may be required. Before spending more on enforcement, the claimant should consider what is known about the debtor’s assets and ability to pay.
Keep these records together
- Contract, order or signed agreement
- Invoices and statements of account
- Proof goods/services were supplied
- Bank/payment records
- Emails, texts and admissions
- Pre-action demand and proof of delivery
- Company or individual identity/address information
- Chronology and damages calculation
Continue through this legal-system cluster
Closely related guides use the same legal system but separate the legislation, procedure and official sources for each problem.
Check the source before acting
Laws, fees and procedures change. These are the official or primary materials used to ground this page.