Form N208: Part 8 Claim Form (2026)

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Last reviewed: August 2026 · For use in England & Wales · eLitigant is a Community Interest Company (No. 16566612), not a law firm. Always check the current official form on GOV.UK before you file, and sign the statement of truth yourself.

✓ Checked against the official GOV.UK source on 26 July 2026. Official publication: “Form N208: Claim form (CPR Part 8)” on GOV.UK — GOV.UK last updated that publication on 7 August 2018. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In short: Form N208 is the claim form used to start civil proceedings under CPR Part 8 — the alternative, streamlined procedure for claims unlikely to involve a substantial dispute of fact, such as an Inheritance Act 1975 claim, trust administration, an order for sale, or the interpretation of a contract or deed. Unlike Part 7 (Form N1), there are no Particulars of Claim and written evidence is filed with the claim form at the outset. eLitigant drafts your N208 from your own facts — or checks the draft you have written, professional, with you remaining the litigant in person.

Form N208: The Part 8 Claim Form — When and How to Use It (2026 Guide)

Not every civil claim involves a contested version of events. Some claims turn on a question of law, the interpretation of a document, or the administration of a trust or estate. For these claims, the Civil Procedure Rules provide an alternative, streamlined procedure under CPR Part 8 — and the form you need is Form N208.

Where Form N1 (Part 7) is designed for disputes where the facts are contested and witness evidence will be tested at trial, Form N208 is designed for claims where the court is being asked to decide a legal question and the underlying facts are largely agreed. Part 8 is a faster, more focused procedure — but it is only appropriate when there is no substantial dispute of fact.

This guide explains when Form N208 is the right form, how to complete it, the current court fees, the Part 8 procedure from issue to hearing, and the key differences from the standard Part 7 route.

Download Form N208

Form N208 (Claim Form — CPR Part 8) is available as a fillable PDF from HMCTS:

• Download Form N208 from GOV.UK — Claim form (PDF, 4 pages)
• Form N208A — Notes for claimants on completing a Part 8 claim form (available from the same page)
• Form N208C — Notes for defendants on responding to a Part 8 claim form

You can complete the form on screen and print it, or print it and fill it in using black ink. Welsh language versions are also available from the same GOV.UK page.

For specialist courts, there are dedicated variants:

• N208(CC) — for claims in the Commercial Court
• N208(LCC) — for claims in the London Commercial Court
• N208(RCC) — for claims in the Regional Commercial Court (Business and Property Courts)

Use the standard N208 unless your claim is being issued in one of these specialist courts.

When Do You Need Form N208?

Form N208 is required whenever you want to start civil proceedings under CPR Part 8 — the alternative procedure for claims. The fundamental test is set out in CPR 8.1(2): a claimant may use the Part 8 procedure where they seek the court’s decision on a question which is unlikely to involve a substantial dispute of fact.

In practice, Part 8 is used in two situations:

1. Where a rule or practice direction requires it — certain types of claim must be brought under Part 8, regardless of whether the facts are in dispute
2. Where the claimant chooses it — because the claim genuinely turns on a question of law rather than contested facts

Claims That Must Use Part 8

Some claims are directed to Part 8 by a rule, or by the table in Practice Direction 49E (the alternative procedure for claims), which now carries the list of claims that must be brought under Part 8:

• Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims — CPR 57.16(1) provides that a claim under section 1 of the Act “must be made by issuing a claim form in accordance with Part 8”. These are claims by family members or dependants who believe the deceased’s will (or the rules of intestacy) did not make reasonable financial provision for them
• Proceedings under the Trustee Act 1925 — listed in the Practice Direction 49E table and assigned to the Chancery Division. This is the route for a court application to remove a trustee and appoint a replacement

Probate claims are the common trap — they go the other way. CPR 57.3 provides that “a probate claim must be commenced — (a) in the relevant office; and (b) using the procedure in Part 7.” And CPR 57.1(2)(a) defines a probate claim as a claim for the grant of probate or letters of administration, the revocation of such a grant, or a decree pronouncing for or against the validity of an alleged will. If that is your claim, the form you need is Form N1 under Part 7 — not Form N208.

Claims That Commonly Use Part 8

Beyond the mandatory categories, Part 8 is regularly used for:

• Trust administration and interpretation — seeking the court’s directions on the administration of a trust, or a declaration as to the correct interpretation of a trust deed
• Claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 — including an application for an order for sale of co-owned property under section 14, where the facts are not substantially disputed. Note this is not one of the claims the rules compel into Part 8; if ownership or contributions are genuinely in dispute, Part 7 is the right route
• Interpretation of contracts and deeds — where the parties agree on what happened but disagree on what a clause means
• Boundary disputes — where the issue turns on the construction of title deeds rather than a factual dispute about where the boundary lies
• Declarations — asking the court to declare the legal position on a point of law
• Applications under specific statutes — many statutory applications are directed to the Part 8 procedure by the relevant practice direction
• Some possession claims — certain mortgage possession and landlord possession claims under specific practice directions
• Applications relating to estates and charities — directions from the court on the administration of estates and charitable trusts

When NOT to Use Form N208

Do not use Form N208 if your claim involves contested facts that will need to be resolved through witness evidence and cross-examination. The standard examples of claims that belong under Part 7 (Form N1) include:

• Breach of contract where liability is denied
• Negligence and personal injury claims
• Debt recovery where the defendant disputes the amount or existence of the debt
• Consumer disputes
• Any claim where the parties disagree about what happened
• Probate claims — the grant or revocation of probate or letters of administration, or a challenge to the validity of a will; CPR 57.3 requires these to be commenced under Part 7

If you are unsure, Form N1 (Part 7) is the safer option. The court has the power to transfer a Part 7 claim to Part 8 procedure if it considers Part 8 more appropriate, and vice versa. Starting under Part 7 when Part 8 would have been better causes less disruption than the other way around.

Court Fees for Part 8 Claims

The court fee for issuing a Part 8 claim depends on what you are claiming:

If Your Part 8 Claim Seeks a Sum of Money

Some Part 8 claims include a monetary element — for example, an Inheritance Act claim seeking reasonable financial provision from an estate. Where a Part 8 claim includes a claim for money, the standard money claim fee scale applies:

Claim Value	Court Fee
Up to £300	£35
£300.01 to £500	£50
£500.01 to £1,000	£70
£1,000.01 to £1,500	£80
£1,500.01 to £3,000	£115
£3,000.01 to £5,000	£205
£5,000.01 to £10,000	£455
£10,000.01 to £200,000	5% of claim value
Over £200,000	£10,000 (fixed maximum)

If Your Part 8 Claim Does Not Seek Money

Where the claim seeks a non-monetary remedy — a declaration, an order for sale, directions on trust administration, or the interpretation of a document — the fixed non-money claim fee applies (fee 1.5 in the Civil Proceedings Fees Order):

Court	Issue Fee
County Court	£377
High Court	£646

Where more than one non-money claim is made in the same proceedings, fee 1.5 is payable once only. If your claim includes both a money claim and a non-money claim, both fees may be payable — check with the court office or the current EX50A fee schedule on GOV.UK.

The CPR Part 8 Procedure Explained

The Part 8 procedure is fundamentally different from Part 7. It is designed to be faster and more efficient for claims that do not require the full machinery of statements of case, disclosure, and trial. Here are the key features:

No Particulars of Claim

Unlike Part 7, there are no Particulars of Claim. Instead, the claim form itself sets out the question the court is being asked to decide, or the remedy sought and the legal basis for the claim. The detail that would normally go into Particulars goes into the witness statement evidence filed with the claim form.

Evidence Filed at the Outset

This is the single most important feature of Part 8. When the claimant files the claim form, they must also file any written evidence (typically a witness statement) on which they intend to rely. This evidence is served on the defendant with the claim form. There is no disclosure stage, no exchange of witness statements months later — everything is front-loaded.

No Defence

The defendant does not file a defence in the traditional sense. Instead, they file an acknowledgment of service (Form N210) within 14 days of service. The acknowledgment states whether the defendant contests the claim and, if they seek a different remedy, what that remedy is.

No Default Judgment

Unlike Part 7, there is no default judgment under Part 8 (CPR 8.1(5)). If the defendant does not file an acknowledgment of service, they may still attend the hearing but may not take part in it unless the court gives permission. The claim still proceeds to a hearing.

No Counterclaim Without Permission

A defendant cannot file a counterclaim under Part 8 without the court’s permission.

Transfer to Part 7

The court may at any stage order the claim to continue as if the claimant had not used Part 8 (CPR 8.1(3)). If substantial factual disputes emerge, the court can transfer the claim to Part 7 and give whatever directions it considers appropriate — including ordering Particulars of Claim and a Defence to be filed.

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing Form N208

Header: Court Name and Claim Number

Enter the name of the court where you are issuing the claim. Part 8 claims in the County Court may be issued at any County Court hearing centre unless a rule or practice direction directs otherwise. For High Court claims, write “In the High Court of Justice” followed by the appropriate Division (Chancery Division, King’s Bench Division, etc.).

Leave the Claim Number blank — the court assigns this when it processes your claim.

Section 1: Claimant Details

Enter your full name and address. The same rules apply as for Form N1:

• Individuals: title, forenames, and surname
• Sole traders: add “trading as [business name]”
• Partnerships: the firm name followed by “(a firm)”
• Limited companies: the full registered company name from Companies House and the registered office address
• Estates: “The personal representatives of [name of deceased]” or the named executor(s)

Section 2: Defendant Details

Enter the defendant’s full name and address in the same format. For limited companies, always use the exact registered name from Companies House. In trust and estate claims, name all relevant parties — trustees, beneficiaries, personal representatives — as appropriate.

Section 3: Details of Claim

This is the most important section of Form N208. Under CPR 8.2, you must set out either:

• The question(s) which you want the court to decide; or
• The remedy you are seeking and the legal basis for the claim

Be precise and focused. Part 8 claims succeed or fail on clarity. Examples:

• “The claimant seeks a declaration that on its true construction, clause 7.2 of the lease dated 1 March 2020 constitutes a condition precedent to the defendant’s obligation to pay under clause 3.1”
• “The claimant seeks an order for sale of the property at [address] pursuant to section 14 of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996”
• “The claimant seeks reasonable financial provision from the estate of [name of deceased] pursuant to the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975”
• “The claimant seeks the removal of [name] as trustee of the [name] Trust and the appointment of [name] as replacement trustee”

If the form does not provide enough space, you may attach a separate sheet headed “Details of Claim (continued)” and reference it on the form.

Section 4: Statement of Truth

Sign and date the statement of truth. The prescribed wording confirms that you believe the facts stated in the claim form and any attached witness evidence are true. An unsigned form will be returned by the court. Making a false statement verified by a statement of truth can constitute contempt of court.

Section 5: Address for Documents

Enter the address where you want documents sent if different from your address in Section 1. You can also indicate whether you accept service by DX, fax, or email. The address must be in England or Wales.

Key Differences Between Part 8 (N208) and Part 7 (N1)

Understanding the differences helps you choose the right procedure and prepare accordingly:

Feature	Part 7 (Form N1)	Part 8 (Form N208)
When to use	Factual disputes	Questions of law; no substantial dispute of fact
Statements of case	Particulars of Claim, Defence, Reply	None — details in the claim form itself
Evidence	Exchanged later (witness statements, disclosure)	Filed with the claim form from the outset
Disclosure	Standard or specific disclosure ordered by the court	No automatic disclosure
Default judgment	Available if defendant fails to respond	Not available under Part 8
Counterclaim	Defendant may counterclaim	Only with the court’s permission
Defendant’s response	Defence (14 or 28 days)	Acknowledgment of service — Form N210 (14 days)
Track allocation	Small claims, fast track, or multi-track	No automatic track allocation
Typical duration	Months to years depending on track	Generally shorter — evidence is front-loaded

What Happens After You File Form N208

The Part 8 procedure follows a clear timeline after issue:

1. Court issues the claim — the court assigns a claim number, date-stamps the form, and serves it on the defendant along with the claimant’s witness evidence and a blank Form N210 (Acknowledgment of Service)
2. Defendant has 14 days to acknowledge service — the defendant must file Form N210 at court and serve a copy on the claimant within 14 days of service. The acknowledgment states whether they contest the claim. If the defendant has written evidence, it must be filed and served at the same time as the acknowledgment
3. Claimant’s evidence in reply (14 days) — the claimant may file further written evidence in reply within 14 days of receiving the defendant’s evidence
4. Extensions by agreement — the parties may agree in writing to extend time for evidence: up to 14 additional days for the defendant’s evidence, and up to 28 additional days for the claimant’s reply evidence. Any agreement must be filed at court
5. Court gives directions or lists for hearing — the court may give directions (such as requiring a party to attend for cross-examination), or it may list the claim for a hearing. Many Part 8 claims are decided on the papers without an oral hearing, though either party can request one
6. Hearing and judgment — at the hearing, the court considers the written evidence and any submissions, then delivers judgment. Because there is no disclosure or witness exchange phase, Part 8 claims typically reach a hearing considerably faster than Part 7 claims

If the defendant does not respond: the claim still proceeds. The defendant may attend the hearing but cannot take part without the court’s permission. There is no default judgment — the court must still determine the claim on its merits.

Common Mistakes on Part 8 Claims

• Using Part 8 when there is a substantial factual dispute — this is the most frequent error. If the defendant is likely to dispute the facts (not just the legal interpretation), Part 7 is the correct route. The court will transfer the claim to Part 7 and the resulting delay and wasted costs could have been avoided
• Failing to file evidence with the claim form — under Part 8, you must file and serve your witness statement evidence at the same time as the claim form. Unlike Part 7, there is no later opportunity to exchange evidence. If you issue without evidence, the court may strike out the claim or require you to file evidence before it can proceed
• Vague details of claim — the “Details of Claim” section must precisely identify the question for the court or the remedy sought and its legal basis. A woolly or overly broad statement will not assist the court
• Not naming all necessary parties — trust and estate claims often involve multiple beneficiaries, trustees, or personal representatives. Failing to join all necessary parties can result in the court being unable to make an effective order
• Filing in the wrong court — some Part 8 claims must be issued in a specific court or Division. For example, Inheritance Act claims are commonly issued in the Chancery Division. Trust and estate matters generally belong in the Chancery Division of the High Court or the Business and Property Courts. Check the relevant practice direction before filing
• Unsigned statement of truth — as with any court form, an unsigned statement of truth means the form is invalid and will be returned
• Not considering the Pre-Action Protocol — even for Part 8 claims, the court expects the parties to have communicated before issuing proceedings. The general Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols applies where no specific protocol exists
• Insufficient copies — when filing by post or in person, you need the original for the court, one copy for each defendant, and one copy for yourself. For multi-party trust and estate claims, this can mean several copies

Related Court Forms & Guides

• Form N260: Statement of Costs — the costs schedule used at summary assessment.
• Form N244: Application Notice — the form for interim applications.
• Start a Money Claim Online (OCMC) — where most civil money claims begin.
• Particulars of Claim — setting out the basis of your claim.
• Civil Court Forms Index — every civil court form guide in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Part 7 and Part 8?

Part 7 (Form N1) is the standard procedure for civil claims and is designed for disputes involving contested facts. Part 8 (Form N208) is the alternative procedure for claims where there is no substantial dispute of fact — the court is being asked to decide a question of law, interpret a document, or give directions on the administration of a trust or estate. Part 8 is faster because evidence is filed upfront and there are no statements of case or disclosure.

Do I need to file Particulars of Claim with Form N208?

No. Part 8 does not use Particulars of Claim. Instead, the claim form itself sets out the question or remedy, and the supporting detail goes into the witness statement evidence filed with the claim form. This is one of the fundamental differences from Part 7.

What evidence do I need to file?

You must file and serve all written evidence on which you intend to rely at the same time as the claim form. This is typically one or more witness statements setting out the relevant facts and exhibiting the key documents (the trust deed, will, contract, title deeds, or whatever document is at the centre of the dispute). Get it right first time — there is no second chance to file your main evidence.

What happens if the defendant does not respond?

There is no default judgment under Part 8. If the defendant does not file an acknowledgment of service within 14 days, they may still attend the hearing of the claim but cannot take part without the court’s permission. The court will still determine the claim on its merits based on the claimant’s evidence.

Can the court transfer my claim from Part 8 to Part 7?

Yes. Under CPR 8.1(3), the court may at any stage order the claim to continue under Part 7 if it considers that Part 8 is not appropriate — usually because substantial factual disputes have emerged. The court will give whatever directions it considers necessary, which typically include ordering statements of case and a directions timetable.

Can I use Part 8 for a money claim?

Yes, in certain circumstances. For example, Inheritance Act claims seek reasonable financial provision (a monetary remedy) but must be brought under Part 8. The critical question is not whether you are seeking money, but whether the claim involves a substantial dispute of fact. If it does, Part 7 is the correct route regardless of the remedy sought.

How long does a Part 8 claim take?

Part 8 claims are generally faster than Part 7 because the evidence is front-loaded and there are no statements of case, disclosure, or witness exchange phases. A straightforward Part 8 claim might reach a hearing within a few months of issue. However, the complexity of the legal issues and the court’s listing availability will determine the actual timeline.

Where do I issue a Part 8 claim?

In the County Court, a Part 8 claim may be issued at any County Court hearing centre unless a rule or practice direction says otherwise. For High Court claims, issue at the Royal Courts of Justice or the relevant District Registry, in the appropriate Division (usually the Chancery Division for trust, estate, and property claims). Some specialist claims have their own requirements — check the relevant practice direction.

Key Points to Remember

• Form N208 is the Part 8 claim form — use it when there is no substantial dispute of fact and the court is being asked to decide a question of law or give directions on administration
• Some claims must use Part 8 — including Inheritance Act 1975 claims (CPR 57.16) and proceedings under the Trustee Act 1925. Probate claims are the opposite: CPR 57.3 sends them to Part 7 on Form N1
• File your evidence with the claim form — this is mandatory. Unlike Part 7, there is no later stage for exchanging witness evidence. Your witness statement must be served on the defendant at the same time as the claim form
• There is no default judgment — even if the defendant does not respond, the court must still determine the claim. The defendant may attend the hearing but cannot participate without permission
• Court fees — £377 (County Court) or £646 (High Court) for non-money claims; the standard money claim fee scale for claims that include a monetary element. If you cannot afford the fee, apply for Help with Fees.
• The defendant has 14 days to acknowledge service — CPR 8.3 requires the defendant to file an acknowledgment of service not more than 14 days after service of the claim form
• The court can transfer to Part 7 — if substantial factual disputes emerge, the court has the power to move the claim to the standard procedure at any stage
• If in doubt, use Part 7 (Form N1) — it is safer to start under Part 7 and have the court transfer to Part 8 than to start under Part 8 and be forced into Part 7 with wasted costs

How to Use Chris to Complete Form N208

Chris can guide you through the Part 8 claim process step by step, tailored to your case. Here is the recommended workflow:

1. Open Chris — start a conversation at eLitigant
2. Upload your case documents — the trust deed, will, contract, title deeds, correspondence, and any other documents relevant to the question you want the court to decide
3. Explain the question — tell Chris what question of law or interpretation you need the court to resolve, or what order you are seeking. Chris will confirm whether Part 8 is the appropriate route for your claim
4. Chris drafts your claim — based on your documents, Chris prepares the Details of Claim for your N208 and helps you structure the supporting witness statement evidence to a professional standard
5. Transfer to your own form — copy Chris’s answers onto your own printed or on-screen Form N208, sign the statement of truth, and submit to the court with your witness evidence and the correct fee

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