What Form N9B is for
The form a defendant uses to dispute a money claim, set out their side, and bring any counterclaim.
Who files it: The defendant, when they dispute all or part of the claim.
The official form is published by HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Download the current version from GOV.UK rather than reusing an old copy, because the forms change.
When to use it
- You do not owe the money, or not the amount claimed.
- You have your own claim against the claimant arising from the same matter and want to counterclaim.
- You want to dispute the court's jurisdiction.
Deadline and fee
Deadline: 14 days after service of the particulars of claim, or 28 days if you filed an acknowledgment of service within the first 14. Miss it and the claimant can request judgment in default.
Court fee: No fee for the defence. A counterclaim carries the same issue fee as a claim for that amount. (EX50 fee list)
If you are on a low income or benefits you may not have to pay court fees. Apply with Form EX160, Help with Fees. Fees you do pay are added to the amount the other side owes if you win.
Work out the full cost of a claim, including the hearing fee, with the court fee calculator or see the fees for a claim of a given amount.
How to complete it
Every County Court form follows the same rules: use the claim number exactly as it appears on the court’s letters, give full names and addresses for each party, write dates in full, and sign the statement of truth in your own name. A statement of truth is a promise to the court that the contents are true, and a false one is contempt of court.
The Defence Toolkit analyses the claim form from the defendant's side, identifies the defences that apply, and drafts the N9B defence and any counterclaim paragraph by paragraph.
Start your defence →Questions people ask
What should a defence on Form N9B say?
Respond to each allegation: admit it, deny it with your reasons, or say you cannot admit or deny it and require the claimant to prove it. Set out your own version of the facts. A bare denial is not enough and can be struck out.
Can I file the N9B online?
If the claim was issued through Money Claim Online you can respond online with the same content. Otherwise post or email the completed form to the court named on the claim pack.
What if I need more time?
File the acknowledgment of service from the N9 response pack within 14 days of service. That extends the defence deadline to 28 days from service. Beyond that you need the claimant's written agreement (up to 28 more days) or a court order.
CourtPilot is an information and document-preparation service, not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice. Court fees change; the figures here were checked against the published EX50 on 2026-08-29.