Form N1: how to file a money claim in the County Court
In one sentence
AFTER your Letter Before Action deadline expires
You must send a Letter Before Action (LBA) FIRST. Issuing the N1 before the LBA response window has run out breaches paragraph 3 of the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct and can be penalised on costs — a court may stay your claim, refuse interest, or order you to pay the defendant's costs of the wasted period.
When the dispute is for a fixed sum of money
The N1 (Form Type "money claim") is for liquidated sums — unpaid invoices, refunds, deposits, damages of a known amount. For unliquidated claims (where the court has to assess damages) the same form is used but the box "I want the court to decide the amount" is ticked.
Within the limitation period
Six years from the date the cause of action accrued (Limitation Act 1980, s.5 for simple contract; s.2 for tort). Twelve years for contracts executed as a deed (s.8). The clock stops only when the N1 is issued — not when you send the LBA. If you are inside the last six months of the limitation period, file IMMEDIATELY.
When the claim is for £100,000 or less
Money Claim Online accepts claims up to £100,000. The small-claims TRACK (lower-cost, no recoverable solicitor fees) is the allocated track for claims of £10,000 or less. Larger claims go to fast track (£10,000–£25,000) or multi-track (above £25,000), where costs rules differ.
Money Claim Online (MCOL)
The standard route for fixed-sum money claims up to £100,000 against parties at a UK address. Filed entirely online; the court issues and serves the form by post. Set up an account at moneyclaims.service.gov.uk.
Paper N1 to the County Court Money Claim Centre
Use the paper Form N1 (download from gov.uk) for claims that don't fit MCOL — non-money remedies (e.g. specific performance), claims over £100,000, defendants at non-UK addresses, multiple defendants beyond MCOL's limits. Post or hand-deliver to the County Court Money Claim Centre, PO Box 527, Salford, M5 0BY.
Your full legal name and address. For a sole trader, your name with "trading as [business name]". For a limited company, the registered name and registered office.
The full legal name and address of the person or company you are suing. For limited companies, ALWAYS use the registered office address (not a trading address) — find it free at Companies House. Wrong-address claims fail at service.
Brief details of claim
One short paragraph (3–4 lines) describing what the claim is for. Example: "The Claimant claims £850 in respect of an unpaid invoice for consultancy services rendered to the Defendant on or about 14 March 2026."
The sum claimed. Tick the band that matches and tick "small claim" if £10,000 or less.
Particulars of Claim
The detailed legal narrative — chronology of facts, statutory basis (Consumer Rights Act 2015 / contract terms / etc.), and the remedy sought. Most claimants attach a separate "Particulars of Claim" document referenced in box 5 ("see Particulars of Claim attached"). Must end with a signed Statement of Truth.
"[I believe] / [The Claimant believes] that the facts stated in these particulars of claim 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." Sign + date.
Court issues the Claim Form
Within a few working days of receipt the court stamps the form, allocates a claim number, and serves the defendant by first-class post. MCOL issues electronically.
Defendant has 14 days
From deemed service (the second business day after posting) the defendant has 14 days to file an Acknowledgement of Service (AoS) (CPR 10.3) OR a full Defence. AoS extends the time to file a Defence to 28 days from service.
If no AoS or Defence is filed by day 14, you can apply for judgment in default (CPR Part 12). The court enters judgment without a hearing and you can move to enforcement (warrant of control, attachment of earnings, charging order, third-party debt order).
The court allocates a track — small claims (≤£10,000), fast (£10,000–£25,000), or multi (£25,000+). For small claims the court schedules a Direction Questionnaire (Form N180), then a hearing or paper determination. Mediation through the HMCTS Small Claims Mediation Service is offered free.
Form N1: how to file a money claim in the County Court
Form N1 is the document that
turns a dispute into formal court proceedings
in the County Court — without it, the court has no jurisdiction over your matter. It is filed by the claimant, served on the defendant by the court, and starts the procedural clock running.
The N1 is a court form, not a starting point. By the time you file it you should have completed a structured pre-action stage — letter, response window, attempts at ADR. The four conditions below ALL need to be true before the form belongs in your hand.
Two routes, same form. Most fixed-sum money claims go through Money Claim Online; everything else goes by paper.
Court issue fees (HMCTS EX50)
The fee is paid to HMCTS on issue and is recoverable from the defendant if you win. Fee remission (Help with Fees) is available for low-income claimants — apply with form EX160.
| Claim value | Fee (online) |
|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £35 |
| £300.01 – £500 | £50 |
| £500.01 – £1,000 | £70 |
| £1,000.01 – £1,500 | £80 |
| £1,500.01 – £3,000 | £115 |
| £3,000.01 – £5,000 | £205 |
| £5,000.01 – £10,000 | 5% of claim value |
| £10,000.01 – £200,000 | 5% of claim value (capped £10,000) |
Source: HMCTS EX50 (Civil and Family Court Fees), 2026 schedule. Paper fees match online for claims at and below £10,000; above that, paper attracts a 10% surcharge.
How to fill it in, box by box
The most common reasons claims are rejected at the issue stage: wrong defendant address (use the registered office for companies), missing Particulars of Claim, missing Statement of Truth, and miscalculated court fee.
What happens after you file
Once the court issues the form, the procedural timeline begins. Diary every date — court rules are unforgiving and "I didn't know" is rarely a defence to a struck-out claim.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing before the LBA expires.
- Costs sanction risk under PD-PAC paragraph 3.
- Suing "John Smith Plumbing" when the contracting party is "John Smith Plumbing Ltd" — the company is a separate legal person from the individual.
- Wrong defendant address.
- Use the registered office for companies (Companies House), not their trading address. Service at the wrong address can void the claim.
- "He didn't pay me" is not a particularised claim. State the contract, the breach, the loss, the legal basis, and the remedy with precision.
- Forgetting the Statement of Truth.
- An unsigned Particulars is liable to be struck out under CPR 22.
- Missing the limitation deadline.
- Six years from breach for simple contract. The clock stops only on issue, not on the LBA.
File a small claim from start to finish
Start My Claim drafts your Letter Before Action, builds your N1 with statutory interest already calculated, tracks your deadlines, and walks you through filing at the County Court — without a solicitor, for £49.
Download the blank N1 from gov.uk →
Not legal advice. This page explains what the N1 claim form is and when it is used; Start My Claim is document-assembly software and does not create a solicitor–client relationship. For high-value or complex disputes, consider taking independent legal advice.