Garfield AI
Court fee calculator
Calculate the court fees for your money claim in England and Wales. Enter your claim amount to see issue fees, hearing fees, and enforcement costs.
Fees based on HMCTS EX50 schedule, last verified April 2025.
Calculate the court fees for your money claim in England and Wales. Enter your claim amount to see issue fees, hearing fees, and enforcement costs.
Fees based on HMCTS EX50 schedule, last verified April 2025.
Full schedule of civil court fees for money claims in England and Wales.
| Claim amount | Court fee |
|---|---|
| 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 claim value |
| Over £200,000 | £10,000 (maximum) |
| Claim amount | Hearing fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £27 |
| £300.01 to £500 | £59 |
| £500.01 to £1,000 | £85 |
| £1,000.01 to £1,500 | £123 |
| £1,500.01 to £3,000 | £181 |
| £3,000.01 to £10,000 | £346 |
| Method | Fee | Description |
|---|---|---|
| They just pay | £0 | The debtor pays the judgment voluntarily without any enforcement action needed |
| Warrant of control | £94 | Bailiffs attend the debtor's address to collect payment or seize goods |
| Attachment of earnings order | £135 | Payments deducted directly from the debtor's wages by their employer |
| Third party debt order | £135 | Freezes money in the debtor's bank account to pay the judgment debt |
| Charging order | £135 | Secures the debt against the debtor's property, paid when the property is sold |
| Order to obtain information | £67 | Requires the debtor to attend court and disclose their financial position |
Source: HMCTS EX50 and EX50A fee schedules. Last updated April 2025. Fees are subject to change. Check the latest HMCTS guidance for confirmation.
Part of our free legal tools.
When you issue a money claim in England and Wales, you pay court fees to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). There are two main fees: the issue fee, paid when you file the claim, and the hearing fee, paid only if the case is listed for a hearing.
The issue fee is based on the value of your claim. For claims up to £10,000 (the small claims track), fees range from £35 to £455. For higher value claims, the fee is 5% of the claim amount, up to a maximum of £10,000. See our small claims court guide for a full overview of the process.
The hearing fee depends on the track your case is allocated to. Most debt claims under £10,000 are allocated to the small claims track, where hearing fees range from £27 to £346.
Yes. If you win your case, the court will normally order the defendant to pay your court fees on top of the amount they owe you. This applies to both the issue fee and the hearing fee.
In the small claims track, costs recovery is limited. You can recover court fees and fixed solicitor costs for issuing the claim, but not general legal costs. This means the court fees shown in the calculator above are typically recoverable if you win.
If the defendant does not pay voluntarily after judgment, you may need to use enforcement methods, which carry additional fees.
The claimant (the person bringing the claim) pays the court fees upfront. If the claimant wins, the court orders the defendant to reimburse the court fees as part of the judgment.
If the defendant makes a counterclaim, they will also need to pay court fees based on the value of their counterclaim. Each party is responsible for their own fees unless the court orders otherwise. Read our full cost breakdown for more detail.
Money Claim Online (MCOL) and its replacement, Civil Money Claims, are online services provided by HMCTS for issuing county court claims electronically. The court fees are the same whether you file online or by paper.
The main advantage of online filing is convenience and speed. Claims filed online are typically processed faster than paper claims. Garfield files your claim electronically, saving you from having to navigate the MCOL or Civil Money Claims system directly. Learn how Garfield works.
If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for the Help with Fees on GOV.UK scheme (form EX160). This can reduce or completely waive your court fees.
To qualify, you generally need to be receiving a qualifying benefit (such as Universal Credit or Income Support) or have savings below a certain threshold and a low monthly income. You apply for Help with Fees at the same time as issuing your claim.
If you receive a partial fee remission, you pay the difference. If your application is successful, the court processes your claim without requiring the full fee.
Winning a court judgment does not guarantee payment. If the defendant does not pay voluntarily, you can apply for enforcement. The most common enforcement methods are:
Each method has its own application fee. The calculator above includes the warrant of control fee (£94) as the most commonly used enforcement method.