County Court Judgements (CCJs)

Receiving a County Court Judgment (CCJ) claim form or Court Summons can be very scary if you are unaware of your rights as a debtor. CCJs are usually issued as a result of an underlying debt problem for which Payplan can give you experienced and immediate debt advice, helping to relieve the pressure that debt brings.

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Use the quick and simple form below or call 0800 917 7823 for free debt help or CCJ advice.

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Received a County Court Judgement? Read what to do here.

A County Court Claim Form, also known as a Summons, is the First Stage in the Court Process. It states how much you owe that creditor and asks for you to reply giving details of your situation. You will need to fill this in using the Income and Expenditure Form that reflects your current circumstances. As an offer of payment, put down the amount that you have worked out as their pro-rata payment. Ensure you return the Claim Form by the date stated on the Form.

If your offer is accepted the Court will issue a County Court Judgement giving you details of when to pay. If the offer is not acceptable or you do not reply within the allowed time, you will also then be issued with a County Court Judgment to pay an amount decided by the court, which may be more than you can afford.

If you have been ordered to pay more than you can afford, you can write to the Court quoting your Case Number (which normally consists of 2 letters and 6 numbers) for redetermination of the payment/offer within 14 days of receiving judgment. This will not cost you anything. It is a good idea to enclose a copy of your financial statement with the offer asking for redetermination.

If your circumstances change at a later date and you can no longer afford the monthly payment to the Judgement, you can apply to vary the order using form N245. Once completed with the revised offer of payment, you should send the N245 form to the Court. You will have to send a £30.00 fee with this form, but if you receive benefits you should not have to pay but you will need to fill in a fee exemption form.

If the offer of payment is still too high for you to afford, it is important you seek the help of a money adviser as soon as possible. Once you default on a County Court Judgement, the creditor has more severe sanctions available such as instructing bailiffs to remove goods from your home, contacting your employer to arrange for their debt to be paid direct from your wages (Attachment of Earnings) or attempting to petition for your bankruptcy.

For immediate and free debt advice please call Payplan free on 0800 917 7823 or use our Debt Calculator to submit your debt problem online.

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