Every other guide on this site looks at the claimant's side of a money claim, but plenty of people land here after being served with one instead. Being sued through Money Claim Online can feel urgent and confusing, but the process is structured and the deadlines are fixed, so knowing exactly what to do and by when puts you back in control.

Step 1: Work out your exact deadline

You have 14 days to respond, counted from the date of service, not the date you happen to open the email or letter. For a claim served by email through Money Claim Online, that's usually the date on the MCOL notification. For a paper claim form, service is deemed to take place five days after the date it was posted, so the clock starts before the envelope may even land on your desk. Missing this deadline is the single biggest risk in the whole process, so pin down the date first before deciding anything else.

Step 2: Decide which of the four responses fits

Within that 14 days you have four options: pay the claim in full and it ends there, admit some or all of it, defend all or part of it, or file an acknowledgment of service to buy more time or contest the court's jurisdiction. Doing nothing is not a fifth option, it's simply the fastest route to a default judgment against you, so even if you're not sure yet how to respond, file something before the deadline.

Step 3: File an acknowledgment of service if you need more time

If you can't get a defence together within 14 days, or you want to challenge whether the English or Welsh court even has jurisdiction over the claim, file an acknowledgment of service before the original deadline. This extends your deadline to file a defence to 28 days from the date of service rather than 14, without requiring you to explain why. It's a low-risk way to buy two extra weeks if you're waiting on evidence, a witness, or advice.

Step 4: Complete Form N9B if you're defending all or part of the claim

To defend a claim, you file Form N9B, setting out in your own words which parts of the claimant's case you dispute and why. A defence that just says "I deny this claim" without explaining the factual basis is weak and can be struck out or leave you exposed at a hearing. Go through the claimant's particulars of claim line by line and state clearly what you agree with, what you dispute, and what you have no knowledge of, because anything you don't specifically address can be treated as admitted.

Step 5: Use N9A alongside N9B for a partial admission

If you accept you owe part of what's claimed but dispute the rest, don't just defend the whole thing on principle: complete both Form N9A for the part you admit and Form N9B for the part you're defending, and send both to the court. This narrows the dispute to what's actually contested, which usually works in your favour when the court allocates the case and again if it reaches a hearing, since a partial admission signals you've engaged with the claim in good faith.

Step 6: Build your defence on facts, not generalities

A strong defence mirrors the same discipline expected of the claimant: a clear, chronological account of what actually happened, backed by whatever evidence you have, invoices, messages, photos, contracts, rather than a general complaint that the claim is unfair. If you're disputing the amount rather than the debt itself, say so specifically and explain your own figures. If your defence includes a counterclaim, for example that the claimant owes you money too, that goes on the same N9B form.

Step 7: Know what happens next, and what happens if you do nothing

Once you file a defence, the court sends both sides a directions questionnaire to allocate the case to a track, usually the small claims track for lower-value disputes, and from there it proceeds toward a hearing unless it settles first. If you miss the 14-day (or 28-day, with an acknowledgment of service filed) deadline entirely, the claimant can apply for default judgment without a hearing, and a County Court Judgment stays on your credit file for six years, making it significantly harder to get credit, a mortgage, or even some tenancies in that time.

A worked example

A supplier claims you owe £3,600 for goods delivered. You accept £1,200 of that was never paid, but dispute the remaining £2,400 because half the goods arrived damaged and you have photos and an email complaint from the day of delivery. Within 14 days of service, you file Form N9A admitting the £1,200, and Form N9B defending the £2,400, setting out the damaged-goods issue with dates and evidence. The claim is narrowed to the £2,400 in dispute, and the court allocates just that portion for a hearing.

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and court procedures and forms can change. LawClaims is a document preparation tool, not a law firm, and no solicitor-client relationship is formed by using it or reading this page. For advice specific to your situation, especially for higher-value or contested claims, consider speaking to a solicitor or a free advice service such as Citizens Advice or National Debtline.

How to Respond to a Money Claim Online: Defending a Claim