Small Claims Court for Unpaid Invoice UK (Money Claim Online 2026)

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For unpaid UK B2B invoices between £500 and £10,000, small claims court via moneyclaim.gov.uk is the most cost-effective formal recovery route. File online for £35 to £455 (the court fee scales with debt size: GOV.UK fee table). Many defendants pay or settle once they receive court papers. If you win and the defendant still doesn't pay, you can apply for an attachment of earnings (£139), a charging order on property (£139), or a High Court writ of control (£82), per the GOV.UK civil court fees list. An undefended claim can reach judgment in weeks; a defended one takes months. For invoices over £10,000 the claim goes to the Fast Track or a higher track in the County Court. For immediate cash, sell the invoice to a spot factoring provider instead.

What this page covers

This page covers

small claims court UK for unpaid invoices: filing online, costs, defence handling, enforcement, and the spot factoring alternative

Not covered here

General invoice finance education (see /guides/), individual provider reviews (see /providers/), full pricing breakdown (see /guides/costs/)

AP

Adam Parker

Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd

Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.

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Small Claims Court UK FAQ

What's the limit for small claims court UK?

£10,000. Above £10,000 the case is usually allocated to the Fast Track (up to £25,000) or, for larger claims, the Intermediate Track or Multi-Track. Small claims has limited cost recovery (you can't claim solicitor fees from the loser) but is faster, simpler and DIY-friendly. Above £10,000 you can recover legal costs from the loser if you win.

How much does small claims court cost UK?

Court fee scales with the debt size: £35 (under £300), £50 (£300 to £500), £70 (£500 to £1,000), £80 (£1,000 to £1,500), £115 (£1,500 to £3,000), £205 (£3,000 to £5,000), £455 (£5,000 to £10,000). You can claim the court fee back from the defendant if you win. Plus optional fixed costs (£22 to £100) and the prescribed compensation (£40 to £100) for late commercial payments.

How do I file a money claim online UK?

Go to moneyclaim.gov.uk and create an account. Enter your business details, the defendant's name and address (registered office for limited companies), the amount owed, the contractual basis (invoice number, due date), and your particulars of claim (a clear chronology of what happened). Pay the court fee by card. The court issues the claim and serves the defendant by post. Defendant has 14 days to respond, or 28 days if they request an extension.

What if the defendant defends the claim?

The case is transferred to your local County Court and allocated to small claims track if under £10,000. You'll receive a Notice of Allocation asking for documents and witness statements (typical deadline 28 days before hearing). The hearing is usually 30 to 60 minutes in front of a District Judge. No solicitor needed. Bring originals of all invoices, contracts, emails, delivery notes and statements. The judge will give judgment that day or within 14 days.

I won the case but the defendant still won't pay. What now?

Apply for enforcement: (1) Attachment of earnings if the defendant is a sole trader or director with PAYE income (£139 fee), (2) Charging order on a property they own (£139 fee, can lead to an order for sale if not paid), (3) Third party debt order to seize bank account funds (£139 fee), (4) High Court enforcement officer for judgments of £600 or more (£82 to seal the writ of control). Fees are from the GOV.UK civil court fees list (EX50).

Small claims court vs spot factoring for unpaid invoice?

Small claims: takes months if defended, costs £35 to £455 plus your time, no guarantee of recovery if defendant insolvent. Spot factoring (Hydr, Triver): 70 to 90 percent of invoice value in 24 hours, factor handles all chasing, on non-recourse facilities the bad debt risk transfers to the factor. If your debtor is solvent and the dispute is principle-based, court. If you need cash now and the debtor is the issue not the work, factor.