Claim
£2,400
England & Wales · Claims up to £10,000
The small claims court.
How it works, step by step.
The small claims court is the part of the County Court that deals with most claims worth up to £10,000. It is built for people who represent themselves. Here is who it is for, how a claim runs from the first letter to enforcement, what it costs and how long it takes.
We help you prepare the documents and file them yourself — you’re always the claimant on the record. Not a law firm, no legal advice given.
✓ No solicitor needed
✓ Fees from the current EX50 list
✓ Plain English, not legal advice
£10,000
Normal upper limit of the small claims track in England and Wales (lower for personal injury and housing disrepair).
£35–£455
Issue fee for a money claim up to £10,000, banded on the amount claimed including interest.
6 years
Usual time limit to issue a claim for a debt or broken contract (Limitation Act 1980).
Is the small claims court for you?
Five checks.
If most are yes, it probably is.
The small claims track suits disputes about money where the facts can be shown with documents and a short hearing.
1
You are owed money, or want compensation, of £10,000 or less.
2
The other side is a person or business with an address in England or Wales.
3
What went wrong happened within the last 6 years.
4
You have evidence: a contract, invoices, messages, photos or bank records.
5
You have asked for payment in writing and been refused or ignored.
· Eligibility self-check
✓You are owed money, or want compensation, of £10,000 or less.
✓The other side is a person or business with an address in England or Wales.
✓What went wrong happened within the last 6 years.
✓You have evidence: a contract, invoices, messages, photos or bank records.
The full guide
How the small claims court works.
What it is, who uses it, each stage of a claim, the fees and the timescales.
What is the small claims court?
There is no separate building called the small claims court. It is the small claims track of the County Court in England and Wales. When a claim is defended, a judge allocates it to one of three tracks by value and complexity, and most claims worth up to £10,000 go to the small claims track.
The track is designed for people without lawyers. The procedure is simpler, the hearing is informal, and each side usually pays its own legal costs, so you are not normally at risk of paying the other side’s solicitor if you lose. You can still be ordered to pay the court fees and limited expenses.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own courts and procedures. This page covers England and Wales.
Who uses it, and for what
- Consumers claiming for faulty goods, poor workmanship or services not provided. See faulty goods claims and suing a builder.
- Small businesses and freelancers recovering unpaid invoices. See unpaid invoice claims.
- People owed money by friends, family or former partners. See suing for money owed.
- Tenants and landlords in deposit and rent disputes. See deposit claims and unpaid rent.
- Defendants who have received a claim. See defending a small claim.
The £10,000 limit is lower for some claims: personal injury and housing disrepair claims have their own lower small claims limits. Possession of a home is not a small claim.
How a claim runs, from letter to enforcement
- Letter before claim. Before you sue, write to the other side setting out what is owed and why, and give a deadline. 14 days is common; a business claiming a debt from an individual must allow 30 days under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. See the letter before claim guide or start one with the letter before action generator.
- Issue the claim: online or form N1. If they do not pay, file a money claim. Most are filed online through the GOV.UK money claim services, including Money Claim Online; the paper form N1 is for claims the online services cannot take. You pay the issue fee when you file. The step-by-step filing guide walks through it.
- The defendant responds. After service the defendant has 14 days to pay, admit or file a defence, or 28 days if they first file an acknowledgment of service. If they do nothing, you can ask the court for judgment in default.
- Defence and mediation. If they defend, most small money claims are referred to the free HMCTS Small Claims Mediation Service, usually a one-hour phone appointment. Many claims settle here. See mandatory mediation.
- Directions questionnaire (N180). If it does not settle, both sides complete form N180. The court allocates the claim to the small claims track and gives directions, usually to exchange copies of every document you rely on by a set date. You pay the hearing fee when the court asks for it.
- The hearing. A district judge hears the case, usually in a short hearing in a room rather than a formal courtroom, or by video. The judge reads the papers, asks both sides questions and usually decides on the day. See what to expect at the hearing.
- Judgment and enforcement. If you win, the court orders the defendant to pay, usually including your court fees. If they still do not pay, you choose an enforcement method such as a warrant of control or an attachment of earnings order. Each has its own fee.
What it costs
There are two court fees on a small claim. The issue fee is paid when you file and is banded on the total you claim, including interest up to the date of issue. The hearing fee is only paid if the claim is defended and listed for a hearing. The fees are the same online and on paper, and if you win the court normally orders the defendant to repay them.
You can claim simple interest at 8% a year under section 69 of the County Courts Act 1984 if your contract does not set a rate. The interest calculator works out the figure, and the court fees page lists every band. If you are on a low income, you may qualify for Help with Fees.
How long it takes
- Letter before claim: 14 or 30 days for a reply, depending on who is claiming from whom.
- Response to the claim: 14 days after service, or 28 days with an acknowledgment of service.
- Undefended claims: you can ask for default judgment once the response deadline passes.
- Defended claims: mediation, directions and getting a hearing date commonly take several months, and longer at busy courts.
These are rough guides. Timings depend on the court and on what the other side does.
Small claims court fees
Issue fee bands on the amount claimed including interest, and the hearing fee if the claim is defended. Use the court fee calculator for your exact figure.
The issue fee runs from £35 for a claim up to £300 to £455 for a claim of £10,000. If the case goes to a hearing there is a second fee, from £27 to £346 on the small claims track. See the full fee table by claim amount or use the court fee calculator for your exact figure.
Fees from the HMCTS fee list (EX50), last checked against gov.uk on 2026-10-19. Fees change, so check gov.uk before you pay. If you are on a low income you may qualify for Help with Fees (form EX160). Court fees you pay are normally added to the claim and can be ordered against the other side if you win.
Worked example
i
Illustrative example · not a real customer
A customer pays a decorator £2,400 for work that is never done. A letter before claim gets no reply, so they file a money claim 120 days after the money was due, claiming the sum plus 8% simple interest.
| Amount owed | £2,400 |
| Interest (8% for 120 days) | £63.12 |
| Total claimed | £2,463.12 |
| Issue fee (band includes the interest) | £115 |
| Hearing fee, only if defended and listed | £181 |
Figures are calculated from the current fee table and simple interest. They illustrate the method only and are not a prediction of any outcome.
CourtPilot is not a law firm and this page is general information about the law in England and Wales, not legal advice. If your situation is complicated or the sum is large, consider speaking to a solicitor or Citizens Advice.
Where CourtPilot fits
You run the claim.
We help with the paperwork.
CourtPilot is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and it does not give legal advice. It drafts from your facts; you check, sign and file everything yourself.
1
Letter before claim — Under the pre-action rules that fit who is claiming from whom, with the amount, interest and deadline.
2
Particulars of claim and N1 — The claim set out clearly, in both full and online-form lengths, with the N1 filled in.
3
Interest and court fee — Interest to the date of issue and the fee band it puts you in, worked out for you.
4
Bundle and hearing preparation — If the claim is defended, the £49 toolkit builds the evidence bundle, witness statement and hearing notes.
9:415G
Re: Refund for decorating work not carried out
Dear Sir or Madam,
I write before issuing a claim in the County Court. On the date shown in the enclosed invoice I paid you in full for decorating work which has not been carried out.
In accordance with the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct, I ask you to repay this sum within 14 days…
Interest
8% a year
Track
Small claims
Deadline
14 days
Download Word doc →
Do you need a lawyer?
Usually not on the small claims track.
It was built for people without one.
Legal costs are generally not recoverable on the small claims track, so paying a solicitor to run a small claim often costs more than it recovers.
What a solicitor charges
By the hour
Billed for the time spent
A solicitor bills for their time, and on the small claims track those fees generally are not recoverable from the other side even if you win.
What CourtPilot charges
£49
One-off · the lot
The £29 Claim Pack drafts the letter, particulars and N1 for one claim. The £49 toolkit adds the bundle and hearing preparation if it is defended.
What changes
Nothing
You’re still the claimant
Same court, same forms, same procedure. You sign and file. We draft, walk you through MCOL, and produce the bundle.
Pricing, in one breath
£29 today. £49 if it goes the distance.
Start with the Claim Pack: the letter, plus the particulars and the N1 ready if they don’t pay. Most disputes settle once a proper letter lands. If yours is defended, the £29 comes off the toolkit within 60 days — same total either way.
01 · Today
£29
Claim Pack: letter, particulars and N1
Drafted from your facts, with interest and the court fee worked out.
02 · If they don’t settle
£49
£20
Upgrade to the full toolkit
Evidence bundle, witness statement and hearing preparation if the claim is defended. £29 Claim Pack credited within 60 days.
03 · Included
Free
Free tools
Court fee calculator, interest calculator and a letter before action generator, free to use.
The questions people ask
The bits people always ask.
What is the small claims court?+
It is the small claims track of the County Court in England and Wales. Most defended claims worth up to £10,000 are allocated to it. The procedure is simpler, hearings are informal, and each side usually pays its own legal costs.
What is the small claims court limit?+
£10,000 for most claims in England and Wales. Personal injury and housing disrepair claims have lower limits. Claims above the limit normally go to the fast track or a higher track.
How do I take someone to the small claims court?+
Send a letter before claim first. If that does not resolve it, file a money claim online through GOV.UK, or on form N1 if the online services cannot take your claim, and pay the issue fee. Our step-by-step filing guide covers each stage.
How much does the small claims court cost?+
The issue fee is £35–£455 for claims up to £10,000, banded on the amount claimed including interest. A hearing fee of £27 to £346 is payable only if the claim is defended and listed for a hearing. If you win, the court normally orders the other side to repay them.
What happens at a small claims court hearing?+
A district judge hears both sides, usually in a room rather than a formal courtroom, or by video. The judge reads the papers, asks questions, hears from any witnesses and usually gives the decision the same day.
How long does a small claim take?+
An undefended claim can end in default judgment soon after the 14 or 28-day response period. A defended claim commonly takes several months to reach a hearing, depending on the court.
Do I need a solicitor for the small claims court?+
No. The track is designed for people representing themselves, and legal costs are generally not recoverable, so most people do not use one. You can still take advice on a difficult point.
What if I win and they do not pay?+
You can apply to enforce the judgment, for example with a warrant of control, an attachment of earnings order or a third party debt order. Each has its own court fee.
Is CourtPilot a law firm?+
No. CourtPilot is a self-help tool and does not give legal advice. You check, sign and file your own documents.
Two minutes · No card
Find out whether your claim stacks up.
The free case check tells you whether the evidence looks strong enough, what to claim including interest, and the next step.