Letter before claim (England & Wales)

When to use this

Use a letter before claim (sometimes called a letter of claim) when you are thinking of starting a county court money claim and you need to set out your case clearly so the other side can respond and the parties can try to settle.

Which rules apply?

• If you are a business (including a sole trader) claiming a debt from an individual (including a sole trader), the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims usually applies. That protocol has extra requirements (for example enclosing an Information Sheet, Reply Form and financial statement form). This short template is not a full Debt Protocol pack — if that protocol applies, follow the official protocol documents on justice.gov.uk.
• For many other money disputes where no specific protocol applies, the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct expects you to send concise details of the claim and give a reasonable time to reply (often about 14 days in a straightforward case).

This template is aimed at a straightforward money claim by an individual under the Practice Direction. Adapt carefully. Limitation periods still run — a letter before claim does not pause them.

What to keep

• Contracts, invoices, bank statements, messages and any previous demands
• A calculation of how the sum is worked out
• A copy of this letter and proof of sending
• Any reply, offers or admissions

This is a template only. It does not guarantee payment or success in court. Free Legal Advice UK is not a law firm. See free legal help and our small claims guide.

Letter

[Your full name]
[Your address]
[Your email / phone]

[Date]

[Recipient’s full name or company name]
[Their address]

Letter before claim — [short description, e.g. unpaid invoice / money owed]

Dear [Name],

I am writing in accordance with the Practice Direction — Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols.

1. Parties
I am [your name]. You are [their name / company].

2. Summary of the claim
On [date(s)], [brief facts: what was agreed, what you did / supplied, what went wrong].
Basis of claim: [contract / goods / services / other — one short sentence].

3. Amount claimed
I claim £[amount] calculated as follows:
- [Item 1]: £[ ]
- [Item 2]: £[ ]
- Interest (if claimed): £[ ] from [date] at [rate / basis]
Total: £[ ]

4. What I want
Please pay £[amount] by [date — typically 14 days from the date of this letter for a straightforward case] to:
[Bank name, sort code, account number / other payment method].
Please also confirm in writing whether you accept the claim in full, accept it in part, or dispute it. If you dispute it, please say which facts you disagree with and why, and enclose any key documents you rely on.

5. Documents
I enclose / can provide: [list key documents]. Please disclose any key documents you hold that are relevant to this dispute.

6. Settlement and ADR
I am willing to consider a reasonable settlement and alternative dispute resolution (for example negotiation or mediation) to avoid court proceedings.

7. Next steps
If I do not receive a satisfactory response by [deadline date], I may start a county court claim without further notice. The court can take into account whether parties followed the Practice Direction when managing the case and deciding costs.

Yours faithfully,

[Your signature]
[Your printed name]

General information for England & Wales only. Not legal advice. Checked 30 October 2026.

All template letters · Free legal help