Glossary · UK
What is Small Claims Track?
The simplified, lower-cost court procedure used for most money claims worth £10,000 or less in England and Wales, designed to let people bring or defend a claim without needing a solicitor.
Full Definition
The small claims track is the case-management track that the County Court allocates most money claims to where the amount in dispute is £10,000 or less (a lower threshold of £1,500 applies to most personal injury and housing disrepair claims), and is designed to be simple enough for an individual to use without hiring a solicitor, though either side remains free to do so. Procedures on the small claims track are deliberately streamlined compared with the fast track or multi-track used for larger or more complex claims: strict formal rules of evidence are relaxed, hearings are often shorter and less formal, and -- crucially -- the losing side is not normally ordered to pay the winning side's legal costs (beyond fixed, modest amounts such as the court fee and limited expenses), which keeps the financial risk of bringing or defending a low-value claim manageable. Claims are typically started online through the Money Claim Online service or the newer Civil National Business Centre process, with a court fee payable on issuing the claim that scales with the amount claimed, and many disputes are resolved, or settled, before ever reaching a final hearing in front of a judge. The small claims track is commonly used for disputes such as unpaid invoices, faulty goods or services, deposit disputes, and other debt recovery matters where the amount at stake would not justify the cost and complexity of a full civil claim.