How much are you claiming?
Court Fee to Start
£80
Pay this when you submit your claim
If You Win, You Get Back
£1,580+
Your £1,500 claim plus your £80 court fee, plus 8% a year interest on top.
Hearing fee: £123, but you probably will not pay it.
A hearing fee is only charged if the other side defends the claim and it reaches a final hearing. Over 95% of small claims settle, or you win by default because the other side does not respond, long before that. So most people never pay a hearing fee, and if you win, the defendant repays it anyway.
The court fee is fully recoverable: if you win, the court orders the other side to pay it back on top of your claim. You can also claim 8% a year statutory interest on the amount you are owed. Solicitor fees, your time, and travel are not recoverable in the small claims track.
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Do You Qualify for Help with Fees?
The Help with Fees scheme (form EX160) can reduce or waive your court fee entirely. Answer three quick questions to check your eligibility.
1. Do you receive any of these benefits? (Universal Credit, Income Support, JSA, ESA, Pension Credit, Legal Aid)
2. Is your gross monthly income below £1,500?
3. Do you have savings or investments below £3,000?
Understanding Your Fees
Court fee (always)
Paid upfront when you issue the claim. Goes to HMCTS. It is £35 to £455 for small claims, then 5% of the claim for anything over £10,000.
Hearing fee (rarely)
Only if the claim is defended and a hearing is listed. More than 95% of small claims settle or win by default before a hearing, so most people never pay it.
You win: they pay you back
The court orders the other side to repay your court fee and any hearing fee on top of the judgment, plus 8% a year interest on the debt.
Not recoverable in small claims
Solicitor fees, expert reports (without court permission), travel, time off work, and printing. Larger claims (fast and multi-track) treat some of these differently.
Full 2026 Court Fee Table
| Value of your claim | Court fee to issue |
|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £35 |
| £300.01 to £500 | £50 |
| £500.01 to £1,000 | £70 |
| £1,000.01 to £1,500 | £80 |
| £1,500.01 to £3,000 | £115 |
| £3,000.01 to £5,000 | £205 |
| £5,000.01 to £10,000 | £455 |
| £10,000.01 to £200,000 | 5% of the claim |
| More than £200,000 | £10,000 |
Fees follow the HMCTS EX50 schedule and are based on the amount claimed, including interest. Claims up to £10,000 are usually the small claims track; above that they move to the fast, intermediate, or multi-track, where legal costs work differently.
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JustClaim generates your letter before action and N1 court documents in minutes. Your £80 court fee is recovered from the other side if you win.
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