Court fees and Help with Fees

Issue fees depend on claim value.

GOV.UK publishes the current civil fees. As at September 2026, a money claim up to £300 costs £35 to issue; £300.01-£500 costs £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 £455. Higher-value money claims use percentage/fixed rules. Always check the live fee table before filing.

There can be later fees.

Issuing is not necessarily the only court fee. Hearing, application or enforcement fees may arise. A successful claimant can often ask for recoverable court fees, subject to the applicable rules and outcome.

Help with Fees may reduce or remove fees.

People on a low income or certain benefits may qualify for Help with Fees. If you intend to use it, obtain the reference or follow the paper process required by GOV.UK before submitting the claim.

Issue fees are only the first fee

Current GOV.UK issue fees for money claims range from £35 for claims up to £300 to £455 for claims over £5,000 up to £10,000, then 5% up to £200,000 with a £10,000 maximum above that. Separate hearing, application or enforcement fees can arise later.

Help with Fees may reduce or remove court fees for eligible people. Fee remission is not the same as exemption from an opponent’s costs order where costs are legally recoverable.

Issue fee is only the first fee

The fee to issue a money claim depends on the amount claimed under the current HMCTS fee table. Later steps can attract separate fees, including certain applications, hearings and enforcement methods. Budget for the procedure as a whole rather than treating the initial issue fee as the entire cost of litigation.

Help with Fees

People on a low income or certain benefits may qualify for Help with Fees. Eligibility depends on the current scheme rules and financial circumstances. Check GOV.UK/HMCTS before paying, because fee-remission procedure and evidence requirements can change.

If you pay a fee and win, the court may order an appropriate recoverable court fee to be paid by the other party, but recovery depends on the order and successful enforcement.

Use the estimator as a planning record

The ConsumerWise Court claim fee estimator records the current issue-fee band and lets you export the calculation. Recheck the official fee table immediately before issue because fees can be amended.

Small claims does not mean “zero costs risk”.

The small claims track restricts ordinary inter-party legal costs, but CPR 27.14 still allows defined categories such as court fees, certain travel expenses, limited loss of earnings/leave, and costs for unreasonable behaviour. Current PD27A sets a cap of £95 per day for loss of earnings or leave and £750 per expert for the specified recoverable expert-fee category.

Practical point.

Do not issue a weak or inflated claim on the assumption that the small claims track makes litigation financially consequence-free. Proportionality and conduct still matter.

Budget for the whole case, not only the issue fee.

Possible cost	Why to plan for it
Issue fee	Required to start many money claims unless remitted.
Hearing fee	May become payable later depending on the claim and track.
Application fee	Can arise if you need a procedural order, set aside or other application.
Travel/loss of earnings	May arise for attendance; small-claims recovery is limited by CPR 27.14/PD27A.
Expert evidence	Usually needs permission on the small claims track and recoverable expert fees are capped.
Enforcement fee	Often needed if judgment is not paid voluntarily.

Help with Fees can reduce or remove an eligible fee.

HMCTS operates the Help with Fees scheme for people on low incomes or certain benefits. You can apply online or by form EX160. The current guidance was refreshed in January 2026. Where you intend to rely on Help with Fees, obtain the reference or submit the application in the way required for the court process you are using.

Eligibility is assessed under the scheme rules; receipt of one benefit does not mean every fee is automatically waived without an application.

Court fees are part of the decision whether litigation is proportionate.

Issuing a money claim normally requires a fee based on the amount claimed, and other applications or stages can attract separate fees. Fee tables change, so do not rely on an old screenshot or third-party article for the current amount. Check GOV.UK at the point you are ready to issue or make the application.

If you succeed, certain court fees may be recoverable from the other side, but paying a fee is not a guarantee of recovering it. The defendant may be unable to pay even after judgment.

Official sources

Check the rules behind this guide

These are official or primary sources for this topic. Court rules and fees can change, so check the live source before issuing a claim or relying on a deadline.