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You鈥檒l get a letter or email if someone claims you owe them money. You must respond by the date on the email or letter you receive.

Follow the instructions in the email or letter. You should respond in the same way that the claim was made, for example you should respond online if the claim was made online.

Ways to respond

You can:

• pay the full amount
• offer to pay a different amount (if you think you owe less than the claim amount)
• defend the claim (if you do not think you owe any money)

If you offer to pay a different amount and it鈥檚 rejected, you might have to give more information at a hearing.

You can ask for another 14 days to respond if you are not paying the full amount. You might have to pay more or get a county court judgment (CCJ) if you do not respond in time.

You can also make a claim against them (鈥榗ounterclaim鈥�) if you think they owe you money. You might have to pay a court fee.

You鈥檒l need to know which service was used to make the claim. Check your email or letter if you鈥檙e not sure.

You can use a paper form to respond instead if you cannot use the online service.

If the claim was made using the Online Civil Money Claims service

You鈥檒l need to create an account to respond to the claim.

You鈥檒l need your claim number and security code. Your claim number will include 鈥楳C鈥�.

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Get help using the Online Civil Money Claims service

Contact Civil Money Claims.

If the claim was made using the Money Claim Online service

You need a Government Gateway user ID and password to respond to the claim. If you do not have a user ID, you can create one before you respond to the claim.

You鈥檒l need your claim number. Your claim number will be 8 digits long and will include letters and numbers.

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Get help using the Money Claim Online service

Contact Money Claim Online.

After you鈥檝e responded

Keep proof (for example, your bank records or a receipt from the claimant) to show you鈥檝e paid.

If you offer to pay a different amount, the claimant will decide whether to accept it. If you defend the claim, the claimant will decide whether to proceed or withdraw the claim.

If the claim was made using a paper form, you should respond by post. You can also use a paper form to respond if the claim was made online but you are not able to use the online services. You鈥檒l have received a letter with instructions on how to respond.

The forms you fill in will depend on whether the claim is for a fixed (鈥榮pecified鈥�) or an unspecified amount. If you need more time to respond to the claim, download and fill in form N9.

If the claim is for a specified amount

Download and fill in:

• form N9A to pay all or part of the claim
• form N9B if you do not agree with the claim

If the claim is for an unspecified amount

Download and fill in:

• form N9D if you do not agree with the claim
• form N9C if you need to ask the court to decide how much you owe, or you want to offer to pay a certain amount

Where to send the forms

Where you send the forms to depends on how the claim was made.

If the claim was made using a paper form

Send the form to:

If the claim was made using the Online Civil Money Claims service

Your claim number will include 鈥楳C鈥� if the claim was made using the Online Civil Money Claims service.

To respond using a paper form, send the form to:

If the claim was made using the Money Claim Online service

Your claim number will be 8 digits long and include letters and numbers if the claim was made using the Money Claim Online service.

To respond using a paper form, send the form to:

Get help responding to a claim by post

If the claim was made using a paper form, contact the Civil National Business Centre if you need help.

If the claim was made online, contact the relevant online service for help.

After you鈥檝e responded

Keep proof (for example, your bank records or a receipt from the claimant) to show you鈥檝e paid.

If you offer to pay a different amount, the claimant will decide whether to accept it. If you defend the claim, the claimant will decide whether to proceed or withdraw the claim.

Mediation is when an impartial professional (the mediator) helps both sides work out an agreement. It鈥檚 confidential and usually quicker and cheaper than going to court.

If you鈥檙e disputing a claim of 拢10,000 or less, you will be told you must attend mediation. The court will organise this mediation. This service is free.

If you鈥檙e disputing a claim of more than 拢10,000:

• the court may offer you mediation - the court will organise this
• you can arrange independent mediation yourself, if you鈥檙e not offered it

Mediation organised by the court

A mediator from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) will speak to you separately by phone to help you to explore options, negotiate and agree a settlement. The appointment will last up to one hour.

You can bring someone with you to mediation. For example, a trusted friend, relative, or a solicitor.

If you鈥檝e been offered mediation, both sides need to agree to it. If both sides agree, you鈥檒l get a date and time for your telephone appointment.

If you鈥檝e been told you must attend mediation, you鈥檒l be given a date and time for your telephone appointment.

Contact the small claims mediation service before your appointment if:

• you have a physical, mental or learning disability or long-term health condition that means you need support during your mediation appointment
• you鈥檙e vulnerable (for example, you鈥檙e worried about your safety)
• you have other questions about the claim or your appointment

Include your claim number when you contact the small claims mediation service, if you have one.

If you do not attend your mediation appointment

If you do not attend your mediation appointment, you鈥檒l usually need to go to a court hearing instead. 听

You can continue to try to settle the case out of court with the other side, up to the date of the hearing (for example, through independent mediation). If you can settle out of court, you will not need to attend the court hearing.

If you鈥檝e been told you must attend mediation, the judge can sanction you if you do not attend or make an effort to reach an agreement. Sanctions can include your case being dismissed (鈥榮truck out鈥�) or having to pay all court costs even if you win.

If you tell the court why you did not attend your mediation appointment, the judge will take your reasons into account when deciding on your sanctions. You can tell the court why you did not attend:

• in your Money Claims online account
• at your court hearing

If you want your reasons for not attending your appointment to be private, contact the court your hearing will be in. You may be told to fill in a N244 form to request that the information is kept private.

Independent mediation

You can get mediation from an for a claim of any amount. There鈥檚 a .

If the claim is for 拢10,000 or less, you will have to attend court mediation.

If you reach an agreement

You鈥檒l make a verbal agreement at the mediation appointment. This is legally binding which means that you must follow it. You鈥檒l be given the terms of the agreement in a document 鈥� this is called a settlement agreement.

If either side breaks the terms, then the other side can go to court to ask for a judgment or hearing.

If you do not reach an agreement

You鈥檒l have to attend a court hearing.

You cannot mention what happened during the mediation appointment in court.

You will not have to wait longer for a court hearing if you go to mediation first.

You might have to give more information at a hearing if your offer is rejected or if mediation is unsuccessful.

If there鈥檚 a hearing, you can:

• represent yourself
• pay for a barrister or solicitor to represent you
• ask someone to advise you in court - they do not have to be a lawyer
• ask someone to speak on your behalf - you might need to get the court鈥檚 permission

Your hearing can be held in the judge鈥檚 room or a courtroom in a county court if the claim is for less than 拢10,000. There might be a more formal hearing if the claim is for more.

After the hearing

You鈥檒l get a decision on the day of the hearing. The court will also send you a copy of the decision by post.

Appeal the decision

You can ask to appeal the decision if you think the judge made a mistake during the hearing. You must ask within 21 days of the date the decision was made.

Find out which court or tribunal to appeal to.