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Key takeaways
- Respond to a county court claim within the deadline, usually 14 days
- You can pay, admit and offer instalments, defend or counterclaim
- Paying within one month cancels the judgment from the Register
- CCJs stay on the Register for six years and can make borrowing harder
- If the CCJ was made unfairly or without your knowledge, you may be able to have it set aside
A County Court Judgment, or CCJ, is a court order made in England and Wales when someone is found to owe money and has not paid it. It is a serious step, but it is not the end of the road, and there are often ways to deal with a claim before it reaches judgment or to reduce the impact afterwards. This guide explains how CCJs work, what happens at each stage and what you can do. In Scotland the equivalent is called a decree, and Northern Ireland has its own judgments system, so the details below apply to England and Wales.
How a CCJ starts
It starts when a creditor, or a company that has bought the debt, decides to take you to court. First they should send letters, including a letter before claim, explaining the debt and giving you time to respond. If you do not pay or agree a plan, they can issue a claim through the county court, and you will be sent a claim form with a response pack.
Do not ignore a claim form. It sets a deadline for your reply, usually 14 days from the date the claim is served, and missing it can result in judgment being made without hearing your side.
Your options when you get a claim form
You have four main choices, shown on the response form:
- Pay the claim in full, including the court fee and any interest, which ends the case
- Admit the debt and ask to pay it in instalments, by offering a realistic amount based on your budget
- Dispute the claim in whole or in part, for example if the amount is wrong, the debt is not yours or it is statute-barred
- Counterclaim, if you believe the claimant owes you money
If you want to defend the claim, you generally have 28 days to file a defence once you have acknowledged service. Free advice from Citizens Advice, National Debtline or StepChange can help you decide which option is best, and the court's own guidance is useful too.
What happens if judgment is made
If you admit the debt, or the court decides you owe it, the court makes an order for you to pay, either in full within 14 days, or in instalments. The CCJ is recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, which credit reference agencies use to build credit files.
Paying a CCJ
The date on which you pay matters. If you pay in full within one month of the judgment, you can apply to have it cancelled and removed from the Register. After that, it stays on the Register for six years, even if you pay, but you can get a certificate of satisfaction to show it has been paid. A satisfied CCJ is looked on more favourably by lenders than an unpaid one.
If you cannot afford the amount set by the court, you can apply for a variation of the order using the court's form (N245), setting out your income and outgoings and proposing a lower payment. The court will consider the claimant's views and make a new order.
Setting aside a CCJ
A CCJ can be set aside, meaning cancelled, if it was made by mistake. Common reasons include:
- You did not receive the claim form and were not able to respond
- The claim was wrongly issued, for example against the wrong person
- You have a real prospect of defending the claim and apply promptly
- The debt was paid before the judgment was made
You apply to the court that made the order, explaining why, and you should do so as soon as you can. There is a fee, but a remission may be available if you have a low income.
What can the creditor do if you do not pay?
Having a CCJ does not automatically mean enforcement, but if you miss payments, the creditor can ask the court to enforce the order. The main routes are:
- A warrant of control, which sends enforcement agents (bailiffs) to take control of goods
- An attachment of earnings order, which takes payments directly from your wages
- A third-party debt order, which takes money from your bank account
- A charging order, which secures the debt against your home or other property
Our guide to dealing with bailiffs explains what enforcement agents can and cannot do.
How a CCJ affects your credit
A CCJ is among the most serious pieces of negative information on a credit file. Many lenders will refuse new credit while one is registered, and mortgage lenders in particular tend to look closely at its date, size and whether it has been satisfied. It remains on your record for six years from the date of judgment, whether or not you pay it, though paying it and obtaining a certificate of satisfaction helps. Our guide to improving your credit score explains how to rebuild.
Getting help
If you have debts in addition to the CCJ, formal solutions such as an IVA or bankruptcy can deal with a judgment debt alongside the others. A free adviser can help you find the right option and, in some cases, negotiate with the creditor to agree a payment plan that avoids further court action.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a CCJ stay on my credit file?
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ?
Can I be sent to prison for not paying a CCJ?
What is a decree in Scotland?
Sources and further reading
- Dealing with a county court claim — Citizens Advice
- Options for paying off your debts — GOV.UK
- Information Commissioner's Office: credit — ICO
This page provides general information only. It is not personalised financial, legal or tax advice, and rules and figures can change. Your situation is unique — please check official sources such as GOV.UK and MoneyHelper, and speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised adviser before making important decisions about your money.
Written by
MoneyBrink Editorial Team — Editorial team
The MoneyBrink Editorial Team researches, writes and reviews every guide on this site. We work from official UK sources such as GOV.UK, the Financial Conduct Authority, MoneyHelper and the Money and Pensions Service, explain things in plain English, and update articles when the rules change. We do not sell financial products and we do not give personal advice.
Read how we research and check our guides in our editorial policy.
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