How to Use Money Claim Online (MCOL)

Money Claim Online (MCOL) is the government's digital service for issuing county court money claims. It offers several advantages over paper forms:

• 10% cheaper fees than paper claims
• Available 24/7 - file your claim anytime
• Faster processing - claims are issued more quickly
• Easy tracking - check your claim status online
• Simpler forms - guided questions replace complex paper forms
• Automatic calculations - interest and fees calculated for you

The service handles claims up to £10,000 and guides you through the entire process step by step.

You can use Money Claim Online if:

Your claim is: - For a fixed amount of money only - £10,000 or less (including interest and costs) - Against no more than 2 defendants

Both parties: - Have addresses in England or Wales - Are individuals or organisations (not the Crown)

You cannot use MCOL for: - Claims over £10,000 - Claims against more than 2 defendants - Claims where the defendant is outside England and Wales - Claims for anything other than money (e.g., return of goods) - Claims against the Crown or government - Claims by children or protected parties

The system gives you 1,080 characters to describe your claim. Make every word count:

Be specific: - State the date of the agreement/incident - Specify the exact amount owed and how it arose - Mention key facts that support your claim

Example (invoice claim): "On 15/3/2024, I provided plumbing services to the Defendant at their request. Invoice 1234 dated 16/3/2024 for £850 was due on 30/3/2024. Despite my letter before claim dated 1/5/2024, the Defendant has failed to pay. I claim £850 plus statutory interest."

Tips: - Use dates in DD/MM/YYYY format - Reference your letter before claim - Keep language simple and factual - You can add more detail in the timeline section

Once you file your claim:

1. Immediate confirmation - You receive a claim number and email confirmation

1. Claim is served - The court sends your claim to the defendant by post (usually within 2 working days)

1. Response period - The defendant has 14 days to respond (33 days if they acknowledge service and request more time)

1. Track online - Log in to see when documents are sent and received

1. Possible defendant responses:
2. - Full admission - you can request judgment
3. - Partial admission - decide whether to accept
4. - Full defence - case proceeds to allocation
5. - No response - apply for default judgment after 19 days

You will receive email notifications at each stage.