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    Small claims, step by step

    Written by Billy Kukadia · Last reviewed 23 October 2026

    Illustrative image: Billy Kukadia adding coloured tabs to a thick ring binder at a desk

    In short

    The small claims track is generally for claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales.

    Start with a letter before claim. In simple cases a reply is usually expected within 14 days.

    Most disputed money claims up to £10,000 are referred to a free one-hour telephone mediation session before any hearing.

    What you need

    A short account of what went wrong, in date order. Note what you paid or what you are owed, and when. Keep it plain; the aim is that someone reading it for the first time can follow it without asking you questions.

    The papers that show it: receipts, contracts, invoices, photographs, emails and text messages. If you have received a letter from a solicitor or another business, keep the envelope and any attachments with it, and note any date it gives.

    A note of how much you are claiming, so you can check which issue fee applies. If paying the fee would be difficult, look at Help with Fees before you start.

    Step by step

    1. Write a letter before claim

      Before going to court, write to the other side. Explain what happened, what you want them to do, and give them time to reply. Keep a copy and a note of when you sent it.

      If you have received a letter like this yourself, read it slowly, note any date it gives and put together a factual account. If the letter makes legal demands you do not understand, regulated legal advice is the place to get an explanation before you decide how to respond.

    2. Work out the fee

      Find your claim amount in the fee bands in the box above. A claim of £800, for example, falls in the £500.01–£1,000 band. If you receive certain benefits or have a low income, you may be able to get Help with Fees, either online or on form EX160. It is simpler to apply before you pay.

    3. Issue the claim

      If the other side does not reply, or the reply does not settle things, you can issue the claim. Use the same plain account you wrote for your letter. Keep the dates and figures the same everywhere, so the court sees the same story each time.

    4. Take part in mediation

      Treat mediation as a real appointment. Missing it without good reason can lead to sanctions. Have your papers in front of you and a clear idea of what outcome you could accept.

    5. Prepare for a hearing if it does not settle

      If mediation does not resolve things, the claim may go to a hearing. Put your documents in date order with page numbers and keep a copy for yourself. A McKenzie Friend can sit with you, take notes and help you keep your papers in order. A McKenzie Friend does not speak for you; a judge can allow it only in exceptional circumstances, and we will not ask for that.

    Free help

    Both of these are free. Support Through Court can help people without a lawyer find their way through the process. Citizens Advice can help with money disputes and paperwork.

    • Support Through Court

      0300 081 0006

      Free help for people going to court without a lawyer.

    • Citizens Advice

      0800 144 8848

      Free help with benefit questions and paperwork.

    How we can help, and what we can't

    We can help you put a timeline and papers in order, prepare a letter before claim in your words for you to check, and sit with you as a McKenzie Friend. We are not solicitors or a law firm, we cannot tell you whether your claim will succeed, and you present your own case. Our small claims support page sets out what we can do. Small claims support.