Where and how to issue a small claim

A money claim can be started through Online Civil Money Claims, through Money Claim Online, or on paper form N1. This guide explains which route is open to you, what each asks for, how the claim reaches the defendant, and how long they then have to respond.

Checked against official sources on 30 September 2026. Court fees from 13 July 2026; enforcement agent fees from 1 May 2026.

Key facts

Online Civil Money Claims (the gov.uk ‘Make a money claim’ service) takes fixed-sum claims up to £25,000 by one claimant against one defendant with a postal address in England or Wales.
Money Claim Online covers £25,001 to £100,000 or two defendants, limits particulars to 1,080 characters and cannot be used with Help with Fees.
Paper form N1 goes to the Civil National Business Centre, St Katharine’s House, 21–27 St Katharine’s Street, Northampton NN1 2LH.
The court serves the claim: a posted claim is deemed served on the second business day after posting; an MCOL claim on the fifth day after issue.
Response time is 14 days from service (28 with an acknowledgment) on paper and MCOL claims, or 28 days from issue in Online Civil Money Claims.

The three routes and who can use them

Route	Use it when	Cannot be used when
Online Civil Money Claims (moneyclaims.service.gov.uk)	A fixed (‘specified’) sum of £25,000 or less; one claimant against one defendant; claimant aged 18 or over with an email address and a postal address in England or Wales; defendant with a postal address in England or Wales; interest, if claimed, at one rate from one date	Amount unknown; personal injury; two or more defendants; a claim against a government department; defendant is a child or lacks capacity
Money Claim Online (moneyclaim.gov.uk)	A fixed sum under £100,000 (in practice signposted for £25,001 to £100,000); one claimant against one or two defendants; defendant’s address in England and Wales	Help with Fees applications; legal aid; claims for injury; child or protected party on either side; a government department
Paper form N1 to the Civil National Business Centre	Everything else: an unspecified amount, more than one claimant, three or more defendants, a party without an address in England and Wales, interest at different rates, or a Help with Fees application made by post	—

The issue fee is the same whichever route you use: there has been no online discount since 2021. The amount claimed including interest sets the fee band, and a claim for an unspecified amount attracts the top fee of £10,000, so state a figure wherever you can. See court fees and help with fees.

Online Civil Money Claims: what it asks

After the eligibility questions the service asks for the defendant’s name, address and email address, then three things about the claim:

A brief reason: why you believe the defendant owes you money, without a detailed timeline.
A timeline of events: dated entries (month and year if you do not know the exact date) with a short description of each.
A list of evidence (optional at this stage): you do not send the documents now, but you will need them if the case goes to a hearing.

Practice Direction 51R requires the claimant to set out all the details they want to rely on and to list any documents or other evidence they may rely on. Interest can only be claimed at one rate from one date; the service will not accept a mixed calculation. You can apply for Help with Fees within the service, in which case the claim is issued once the fee remission is decided. Amending the claim after it has been submitted needs an application to the court, and if the value goes up the difference in fee is payable.

Money Claim Online: the 1,080-character box

MCOL asks for the particulars of claim in a box limited to 24 lines of 45 characters, 1,080 characters in all, which accepts only full stops, commas and pound signs as punctuation. Ticking the box to send fuller particulars later reduces the space to 945 characters, and reserving the right to claim interest reduces it further. If the claim needs more than that, state that detailed particulars will follow and include a brief summary; the full particulars must then be served and filed separately. MCOL cannot be used by a claimant applying for Help with Fees.

Paper form N1: particulars and where to send it

Form N1 asks for the parties’ full names and addresses with postcodes, a statement of value (for a small claim, that you expect to recover not more than £10,000), the amount claimed, interest, court fee and any fixed costs, and the particulars of claim. The particulars can be on the form or attached, and must say what was agreed, what went wrong, what is owed and how it is calculated, including the interest claimed. Refer to key documents and messages by date; the court and the defendant need to be able to see the shape of the case from the particulars alone.

If the claim form does not include a full address with postcode for every party it will be issued but retained by the court and not served until the address is supplied or the court dispenses with the requirement. Send the N1, a copy for each defendant, and a cheque or postal order for the fee (or your Help with Fees reference, or form EX160) to:

Civil National Business Centre, St Katharine’s House, 21–27 St Katharine’s Street, Northampton NN1 2LH

Paper issue currently takes about four working days before processing begins. The CNBC helpline is 0300 123 1056 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm).

The statement of truth

Every claim form and particulars of claim must be verified by a statement of truth (CPR 22.1). The wording in Practice Direction 22 paragraph 2.1 is:

‘I believe that the facts stated in this claim form are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.’

Online, typing your name in the required field counts as signing. The consequence is real: CPR 32.14 allows contempt proceedings against anyone who makes a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth. Claim only what you honestly believe is owed and can support.

Who serves the claim, and when it counts as served

In all three routes the court serves the claim form on the defendant by post unless you tell the court you want to serve it yourself or a rule or order says otherwise (CPR 6.4). Online Civil Money Claims sends a paper version of the online form to the defendant’s postal address and tells you the date of issue; MCOL does the same and sends you a notice of issue.

Paper claim served by post: deemed served on the second business day after posting (CPR 6.14). Business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays, bank holidays, Good Friday and Christmas Day.
Money Claim Online: deemed served on the fifth day after issue, whether or not that is a business day (PD 7C 5.7).
Online Civil Money Claims: the deadline runs from the date of issue rather than from service.

If you serve the form yourself you must do so within four months of issue (CPR 7.5), file a certificate of service (form N215) within 21 days, and cannot obtain a default judgment without it. The deadline calculator works these dates out.

How long the defendant has to respond

Route	Deadline	Extension
Paper N1 and MCOL	14 days after service of the particulars of claim; 28 days if the defendant files an acknowledgment of service (CPR 15.4)	Up to a further 28 days by written agreement, notified to the court (CPR 15.5)
Online Civil Money Claims	By 4pm on the 28th day after the date of issue (PD 51R 5.1)	Up to 28 days in total by agreement, recorded on the service before the deadline

The defendant can pay, admit and ask for time to pay, admit part, defend or counterclaim. If the deadline passes with no response, you can request judgment in default. See what happens after you issue and default judgment.

Once a claim is issued, changing it is not free. In Online Civil Money Claims an amendment needs an application to the court, and on any route a change that increases the value means paying the difference in issue fee. Get the names, amounts, dates and interest right before you submit; the Start my claim tool and the interest and fee calculator are built for that, and you can ask ClaimsBot about your form.

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Have a question this guide does not answer? ClaimsBot gives general information from the rules and official guidance. It is not advice about your case.

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Sources

Quick answers

Which online service should I use for a small claim?

For a fixed sum of £25,000 or less against one defendant with an address in England or Wales, Online Civil Money Claims (the gov.uk ‘Make a money claim’ service). Money Claim Online is signposted for £25,001 to £100,000 or two defendants, and cannot take a Help with Fees application.

Where do I send a paper N1 claim form?

To the Civil National Business Centre, St Katharine’s House, 21–27 St Katharine’s Street, Northampton NN1 2LH, with a copy for each defendant and the fee (cheque or postal order) or your Help with Fees reference or form EX160.

Does the court send the claim to the defendant?

Yes, in all three routes the court serves the claim form by post unless you ask to serve it yourself. If you do serve it yourself, you must file a certificate of service before you can get a default judgment.

When is the claim treated as served?

A posted claim form is deemed served on the second business day after posting. A Money Claim Online claim is deemed served on the fifth day after issue. In Online Civil Money Claims the defendant’s deadline runs from the date of issue.

How long does the defendant have to reply?

On a paper or MCOL claim, 14 days after service of the particulars, or 28 days if they file an acknowledgment of service. In Online Civil Money Claims, by 4pm on the 28th day after issue. Both can be extended by agreement by up to 28 days.

What is the statement of truth?

A declaration on the claim form that you believe the facts stated are true and understand that contempt proceedings may be brought for a false statement made without an honest belief in its truth (PD 22 para 2.1). Typing your name online counts as signing it.

Can I change my claim after issuing it?

Only by applying to the court, and if the change increases the value the difference in fee is payable. It is much easier to get the details right before submitting.