Form

Guidance for defendants replying to the claim form: N1C

Updated 18 November 2024

Reply to the claim

If this claim form was received with the particulars of claim completed or attached, you must reply within 14 days of the date it was served on you.

If the words ‘particulars of claim to follow’ are written in the particulars of claim box, you must not reply until after you are served with the particulars of claim. This should be no more than 14 days after you received the claim form.

If the claim was sent by post, the date of service is taken as the second business day after posting (see postmark).

If the claim form was delivered or left at your address, the date of deemed service will be the second business day after delivery. You can find more information on the service of documents.

You can either:

• pay the total amount, for example the amount claimed, the court fee and solicitor’s costs (if any)
• admit that you owe all or part of the claim and ask for time to pay
• dispute the claim

If you do not reply, a judgment may be entered against you.

There is information on which forms to use for your reply in form N9. Form N9 will accompany the particulars of claim if they are served after the claim form.

Court staff can help you complete the forms of reply and tell you about court procedures, but they cannot give legal advice.

If you need legal advice, for example about the likely success of disputing the claim, you should contact a solicitor or Citizens Advice immediately.

Registration of judgments

If this claim results in a judgment against you, details will be entered in the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines.

They will then be passed to credit reference agencies, which will then supply them to credit grantors and others seeking information on your financial standing. This will make it difficult for you to get credit.

A list of credit reference agencies is available from:

Registry Trust Limited
3rd Floor
12 Carthusian Street
London
EC1M 6EB

Costs and interest

Additional costs and interest may be added to the amount claimed on the front of the claim form if judgment is entered against you.

In a county court, the claimant may be entitled to further interest if a judgement is either:

• for £5,000 or more
• in respect of a debt that attracts contractual or statutory interest for late payment

How to pay

Do not bring any payments to the court – they will not be accepted.

When making payments to the claimant, quote the claimant’s reference (if any) and the claim number. Make sure that you keep records and can account for any payments made.

Proof may be required if there is any disagreement. It is not safe to send cash unless you use registered post.

If you admit the claim

If you admit all the claim, take or send the money (including the court fee and any interest and costs) to the claimant at the address given for payment on the claim form. This must be done within 14 days.

Claim for a specified amount

If you admit all the claim and you are asking for time to pay, complete form N9A and send it to the claimant at the address given for payment on the claim form. This must be done within 14 days. The claimant will decide whether to accept your proposal for payment.

If it is accepted, the claimant may request the court to enter judgment against you and you will be sent an order to pay.

If your offer is not accepted, the court will decide how you should pay.

If you admit only part of the claim, complete form N9A and form N9B and send them to the court within 14 days. The claimant will decide whether to accept your part admission. For more information, see the dispute a claim section.

If it is accepted, the claimant may request the court to enter judgment against you and the court will send you an order to pay.

If your part admission is not accepted, the case will proceed as a defended claim.

Claim for an unspecified amount

If you admit liability for the whole claim but do not make an offer to satisfy the claim, complete form N9C and send it to the court within 14 days. A copy will be sent to the claimant. The claimant may request the court to enter judgment against you for an amount to be decided by the court, including costs.

The court will enter judgment and refer the court file to a judge for directions for management of the case. You and the claimant will be sent a copy of the court’s order.

If you admit liability for the claim and offer an amount of money to satisfy the claim, complete form N9C and send it to the court within 14 days. The claimant will be sent a copy and asked if the offer is acceptable. The claimant must reply to the court within 14 days and send you a copy.

If a reply is not received, the claim will be stayed. If the amount you have offered is accepted then either:

• the claimant may request the court to enter judgment against you for that amount
• the rate of payment will be decided by the court (if you have requested time to pay which is not accepted by the claimant)

If your offer in satisfaction is not accepted, then:

• the claimant may request the court to enter judgment against you for an amount to be decided by the court, including costs
• the court will enter judgment and refer the court file to a judge for directions for management of the case

You and the claimant will be sent a copy of the court’s order.

Dispute a claim

If you are being sued as an individual for a specified amount of money and you dispute the claim, the claim may be transferred to a local court. For example, the court nearest to where you live or carry on business if different from the court where the claim was issued.

Submit an acknowledgement of service if either you:

• need longer than 14 days to prepare your defence
• are contesting the court’s jurisdiction to try the claim

You can submit an acknowledgement of service by completing form N9.

You must send it to the court within 14 days. This will allow you 28 days from the date of service of the particulars of claim to either:

• file your defence
• make an application to contest the court’s jurisdiction

The court will tell the claimant that your acknowledgment of service has been received.

If the case proceeds as a defended claim, you and the claimant will be sent a directions questionnaire. You will be told the date by which it must be returned to the court. The information you give on the form will help a judge decide whether your case should be dealt with in either the:

• small claims track
• fast track
• multi-track

After a judge has considered the completed questionnaires, you will be sent a notice of allocation setting out the judge’s decision. The notice will tell you:

• the track to which the claim has been allocated
• what you have to do to prepare for the hearing or trial

If the claim was allocated to the small claims track, you and the claimant will need to attend a mediation appointment. This will be arranged for you by the Small Claims Mediation Service, part of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

If an agreement is reached at mediation, the case will be settled.

If no agreement is reached, the case will proceed to a hearing or trial.

If you do not attend the mediation appointment, the judge may apply a penalty. This could include ordering you to pay costs, or automatically ruling in the claimant’s favour.

You can find out more about the small claims track, fast track and multi-track.

Dispute a claim for a specified amount

If you wish to dispute the full amount claimed or wish to claim against the claimant (a counterclaim), complete form N9B and send it to the court within 14 days.

If you admit part of the claim, complete form N9A and form N9B and send them both to the court within 14 days.

The claimant will decide whether to accept your part admission in satisfaction of the claim - see claim for a specified amount for more information. If the claimant does not accept the amount you have admitted, the case will proceed as a defended claim.

If you dispute the claim because you have already paid it, complete form N9B and send it to the court within 14 days. The claimant will have to decide whether to proceed with the claim or withdraw it and notify the court and you within 28 days. If the claimant wishes to proceed, the case will proceed as a defended claim.

Dispute a claim for an unspecified amount, or return of goods or non-money claims

If you dispute the claim or wish to claim against the claimant (counterclaim), complete form N9D and send it to the court within 14 days.

Personal injuries claims

If the claim is for personal injuries and the claimant has attached a medical report to the particulars of claim, in your defence you should state whether you:

• agree with the report
• dispute all or part of the report ( you must give your reasons for doing so)
• neither agree nor dispute the report or have no knowledge of the report

Where you have obtained your own medical report, you must attach it to your defence.

If the claim is for personal injuries and the claimant has attached a schedule of past and future expenses and losses, you must state in your defence which of the items you:

• agree with
• dispute (you must supply alternative figures where appropriate)
• neither agree nor dispute or have no knowledge of

Where to send notices

Notices must be sent to either:

• the business address of your solicitor or European lawyer
• your own residential or business address within the UK or European Economic Area state

Statement of truth

This must be signed either by you, your solicitor or litigation friend, as appropriate.

If the defendant is a registered company, the response must be signed by either:

• a director
• a treasurer
• a secretary
• a chief executive
• a manager
• another officer of the company

If the defendant is a corporation, the response must be signed by either the:

• mayor
• chairman
• president
• town clerk