OCMC vs County Court: Which Route for Your Money Claim in 2026?

If you want to sue someone for money in England and Wales, you no longer have a simple choice between filling in a paper form and posting it to the court. Since July 2025, the route you must take depends on the nature of your claim, the amount involved, and whether it falls within the scope of the Online Civil Money Claims (OCMC) pilot. As a litigant in person you may claim online or on paper (PD 51R para 2.1(1)(a)); only legal representatives are required to use an online route for eligible claims (para 2.1(5A)). This guide explains the two main routes for issuing a money claim in 2026: the OCMC service (online) and the traditional county court (paper Form N1). It covers when OCMC is mandatory, when you must use the paper route, how track allocation works once proceedings are issued, and the practical advantages and limitations of each option. Whether you are owed £500 or £50,000, understanding which route applies to your claim is the first decision you need to get right.

When OCMC Is Mandatory: The PD51R Requirement

Practice Direction 51R (PD51R) governs the OCMC pilot scheme, which runs until 6 April 2027. Read this before anything else: if you are not using a solicitor, OCMC is a choice, not an obligation. PD51R paragraph 2.1(1) says that claimants “who are not represented by a legal representative may use the pilot to make their claim”. The requirement to use it bites on legally represented claimants, not on litigants in person. You may still issue on paper. Your claim is eligible for OCMC if:

• It is a claim for a specified amount of money only (you can state the exact figure you are owed)
• It would not ordinarily follow the Part 8 procedure
• It is not a claim for personal injury
• If you are unrepresented, there is one claimant and one defendant (where both sides are legally represented, one or two of each is permitted)
• You are aged 18 or over and are not a protected party (someone who lacks mental capacity)
• You have a postal address in the UK and an email address for the case

Note what is not on that list: a maximum claim value. PD51R paragraph 2.1(3) requires only that the claim is for “a specified amount of money only”. There is no monetary cap on what you can issue through OCMC. The £25,000 figure was the pilot’s original cap at Practice Direction 51R paragraph 2.1(3)(a); it was removed by the 181st Practice Direction Update, in force 27 February 2025. — see our PD51R guide for what the widely-quoted £25,000 figure actually refers to. If you are legally represented and your claim qualifies, a paper Form N1 sent to the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton will be returned with a direction to use the online service. For a comprehensive breakdown of the PD51R rules, see our PD51R guide.

When You Must Use Form N1 and the County Court

Not every money claim can be issued online. The following types of claim fall outside the scope of OCMC and must be commenced using the traditional paper Form N1. Under Practice Direction 7A paragraph 5.1(1), a County Court claim for money only started under Part 7 must be sent to the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton, not to your local hearing centre:

Unspecified Claims (Damages to Be Assessed)

If you cannot state a precise monetary figure for your claim — for example, because you are claiming damages for personal injury, professional negligence, or breach of a duty of care where the loss is ongoing — your claim is “unspecified.” OCMC only handles specified claims. You must use Form N1 and set out the facts in your Particulars of Claim, leaving the court to assess the appropriate amount of damages.

Claims Above £25,000 (A Common Misconception — Not an OCMC Bar)

This one belongs here only to correct it. A high-value claim does not force you onto paper. There is no upper limit on the value of a specified money claim you can issue through OCMC: PD51R paragraph 2.1(3) asks only that the claim is “for a specified amount of money only”. What £25,000 actually marks is the fast track ceiling for allocation (CPR 26.9(5)) — and, in practice, the point at which a defended claim stops being progressed inside the OCMC platform and is sent out to a County Court hearing centre for case management. You can still issue it online. Note also that when your claim is valued for allocation and for the court fee, interest accrued to the date of issue counts towards the total.

Personal Injury Claims

Claims that include an element of personal injury are outside OCMC’s scope, regardless of value. These must be issued on paper. Personal injury claims also have specific pre-action protocols that must be followed before proceedings are commenced.

Housing Disrepair Claims

Claims arising from housing disrepair — for example, a tenant suing a landlord for failure to maintain the property — must be filed on paper, even if the amount claimed is under £25,000. These claims have their own pre-action protocol.

Claims Involving Protected Parties

If the claimant or defendant is a child (under 18) or a protected party (someone who lacks mental capacity to conduct proceedings), the claim cannot be issued through OCMC. A litigation friend must be appointed, and the claim must be filed on paper.

Claims Against the Crown

Proceedings against government departments under the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 cannot be commenced through OCMC and must follow the specific procedural rules for claims against the Crown.

Claims with More Than Two Defendants

OCMC currently limits the number of defendants to two. If you need to claim against three or more parties, you must use Form N1. Our Form N1 guide explains how to complete the paper claim form.

Track Allocation: What Happens After Filing

Regardless of whether you file through OCMC or on paper, once a defence is filed your case will be allocated to one of four procedural tracks. Track allocation determines the procedural rules that apply, the costs you may be liable for, and how the hearing is conducted.

Small Claims Track (up to £10,000)

The small claims track is designed for straightforward disputes of modest value. The financial limit is £10,000 for most claims, with lower limits for personal injury (£1,500 of injury damages, or £5,000 in most road traffic accident claims) and for a tenant’s disrepair claim (repairs and any other damages each no more than £1,000) (CPR 26.9(1)). Key features of the small claims track:

• Limited costs recovery. The losing party generally cannot be ordered to pay the winning party’s legal costs. Fixed costs, the court fee, reasonable travel expenses and loss of earnings up to £95 per day (CPR 27.14(2); PD 27A para 7.3) may be recovered, but not solicitors’ fees.
• Informal hearing. The hearing is conducted informally. Strict rules of evidence do not apply. The judge may adopt an inquisitorial approach, asking questions directly.
• No disclosure obligation. There is no automatic requirement to disclose documents, though the court may order specific disclosure.
• Paper determination. Both parties can consent to the claim being decided on the papers without a hearing.

Fast Track (£10,001 to £25,000)

The fast track is designed for cases that are more substantial but still capable of being tried within a single day. Standard directions apply, including disclosure, exchange of witness statements, and (where appropriate) expert evidence. Key features of the fast track:

• Fixed trial costs. The trial costs that can be recovered are fixed by the rules, providing certainty about costs exposure.
• Standard directions timetable. The court sets a timetable for each preparatory step, typically allowing 6 to 9 months from allocation to trial.
• One-day trial. The trial must not exceed one day (5 hours of court time).
• Costs consequences. Unlike small claims, the losing party can be ordered to pay the winning party’s reasonable costs.

Intermediate Track (£25,001 to £100,000)

The intermediate track was introduced as part of the extended fixed recoverable costs regime and is easy to miss, because most older guides skip straight from fast track to multi-track. Under CPR 26.9(7) it is the normal track where the claim is suitable for neither the small claims nor the fast track, the monetary claim is not more than £100,000, and the court considers that a proportionately managed trial will last no longer than three days, with oral expert evidence limited to two experts per party. It is available where one claimant sues one or two defendants, or two claimants sue one defendant. Key point for costs: the intermediate track carries its own fixed recoverable costs regime, banded by complexity. That makes your costs exposure materially more predictable than the multi-track — and materially higher than the small claims track.

Multi-Track (Above £100,000, or Any Value if Complex)

The multi-track is the residual track (CPR 26.9(12)): it handles any claim for which the small claims, fast and intermediate tracks are not the normal track. In practice that means claims above £100,000, or claims of any value that are too complex, too long or too expert-heavy for the intermediate track. Case management is more intensive, with case management conferences and pre-trial reviews. There is no limit on trial length, and costs can be substantial. For detailed guidance on completing the directions questionnaire that determines track allocation, see our Form N181 guide (fast track and multi-track) or Form N180 guide (small claims).

Advantages of OCMC

For claims that fall within its scope, OCMC offers significant practical advantages over the paper route:

24/7 Availability

You can file a claim at any time. There are no court opening hours to contend with. This is particularly valuable for litigants who work during the day and cannot attend a court office or post a form during business hours.

Faster Issue and Service

Claims filed through OCMC are typically issued within 24 to 48 hours. Paper Form N1 claims sent to the CNBC can take considerably longer, particularly during busy periods. Service through OCMC is also faster — electronic notification replaces postal service for many defendants.

Automatic Fee Calculation

The system calculates the court fee based on the claim amount, removing one of the most common sources of error with paper claims. You pay online by debit or credit card.

Built-In Guidance

OCMC provides prompts and structure at each stage of the claim. While this does not replace proper preparation of your Particulars of Claim, it reduces the risk of administrative errors such as missing fields or unsigned forms.

Online Case Management

Both parties can track the progress of the claim through the OCMC dashboard. Responses, offers, and case updates appear online. This is far more transparent than the paper process, where you rely on postal correspondence and may not know the status of your claim for weeks.

Limitations of OCMC

Despite its advantages, OCMC is not suitable for every situation, even where the claim technically falls within its scope:

Limited Scope

OCMC is built for the simplest shape of money claim. If you are unrepresented, PD51R paragraph 2.1(3) allows one claimant and one defendant only (one or two of each where both sides are legally represented). If your dispute involves more parties than that, unquantified losses, injunctive relief, or any non-monetary remedy, you cannot use OCMC.

Particulars of Claim Constraints

The OCMC system imposes character limits on the Particulars of Claim. For complex claims — even those under £25,000 — this can be restrictive. You may need to compress your case into a shorter format than you would use on a paper N1, where the Particulars can be set out on a separate document of any length (CPR 16.4 and PD 16, paragraph 3.1).

Technical Requirements

Using OCMC requires internet access, an email address, and an HMCTS account to sign in. For some litigants — particularly elderly individuals or those without reliable internet access — the paper route may be more practical. The courts have not yet provided a comprehensive alternative for digitally excluded claimants whose claims fall within the mandatory OCMC scope.

Enforcement Still Requires Paper Applications

Even if you obtain judgment through OCMC, enforcement methods (warrants of control, charging orders, third party debt orders, attachment of earnings) generally require separate paper applications to the court. The OCMC system does not yet integrate the full enforcement process. Our enforcement guide explains the available options.

Making the Right Choice: A Decision Framework

Use the following framework to determine which route applies to your claim:

1. Is your claim for a specified amount of money? If not (e.g., “damages to be assessed”), you must use Form N1.
2. Is it a specified (fixed) amount of money? If yes, OCMC takes it at any value; unspecified amounts use Form N1.
3. Are there two defendants or fewer? If more than two, you must use Form N1.
4. Does the claim involve personal injury, housing disrepair, or a protected party? If yes, you must use Form N1.
5. If the answer to all four questions is “yes/no” as appropriate, your claim falls within PD51R and must be filed through OCMC at moneyclaims.service.gov.uk.

If you are unsure whether your claim qualifies for OCMC, our guide to starting a money claim walks through the eligibility criteria in detail.

Key Points to Remember

• If you are a litigant in person, OCMC is optional — PD51R paragraph 2.1(1) says unrepresented claimants “may” use it. The requirement applies to legally represented claimants, whose paper N1s for eligible claims will be returned.
• There is no upper limit on the value of a specified money claim you can issue through OCMC. Claims that are unspecified, involve personal injury, housing disrepair, protected parties, or have more parties than PD51R permits must use Form N1.
• A paper money-only Part 7 claim goes to the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton (PD 7A para 5.1(1)), not your local court.
• Track allocation (small claims, fast track, intermediate, multi-track) applies to all claims regardless of how they were filed.
• OCMC offers faster processing, automatic fee calculation, and 24/7 access — significant advantages for litigants in person.
• OCMC has character limits on Particulars of Claim and does not cover enforcement — paper applications are still needed for post-judgment steps.
• The PD51R pilot is currently authorised until 6 April 2027 — check for updates if you are filing close to this date.

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.

Related Guides

• How to Start a Money Claim at OCMC
• Form N1: How to Complete the Claim Form
• OCMC and PD51R: The Definitive Guide
• Form N181: Directions Questionnaire Guide
• Form N180: Small Claims Directions Questionnaire

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between OCMC and the paper county court route?

OCMC (Online Civil Money Claims) is the online service for issuing a money claim. The traditional route uses paper Form N1 which, for a money-only Part 7 County Court claim, must be sent to the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton under Practice Direction 7A paragraph 5.1(1). Which route applies depends on the nature of your claim and, if you are legally represented, on Practice Direction 51R. If you are a litigant in person, PD51R paragraph 2.1(1) says you “may” use OCMC — the choice is yours.

Which claims must be issued on paper using Form N1?

Claims that fall outside OCMC’s scope must use Form N1, including unspecified claims (where damages are to be assessed, such as personal injury or professional negligence), personal injury claims of any value, housing disrepair claims, claims involving a protected party (a child under 18 or someone who lacks mental capacity), claims against the Crown, and claims with more parties than PD51R permits — for an unrepresented claimant that means anything other than one claimant against one defendant. Claim value is not on this list: there is no upper limit on issuing through OCMC.

What happens if I file the wrong way?

If your claim falls within the OCMC parameters and you instead file a paper Form N1, it will be returned to you with a direction to use the online service — costing you time you may not have. Getting the route right first time is the first decision to get right.

What is a specified versus an unspecified claim?

A specified claim is one where you can state the exact figure you are owed. An unspecified claim is one where you cannot state a precise figure — for example, damages for personal injury or breach of a duty of care where the loss is ongoing — and the court is left to assess the amount. OCMC only handles specified claims; unspecified claims use Form N1 with the facts set out in your Particulars of Claim.

What is track allocation and when does it happen?

Whether you file through OCMC or on paper, once a defence is filed your case is allocated to one of four procedural tracks: small claims (up to £10,000), fast track (up to £25,000), intermediate (up to £100,000) and multi-track. Track allocation determines the procedural rules that apply, the costs you may be liable for, and how the hearing is conducted. The small claims track is designed for straightforward disputes and features limited costs recovery and an informal hearing.

Can eLitigant tell me which route to use and draft the claim?

Yes. Chris helps you work through whether your claim is specified or unspecified and which route applies, then drafts your money claim and Particulars of Claim from your own information — or reviews a draft you have already written — to E&W civil procedure standard. You remain the litigant in person throughout. Related guides: Form N1 guide · PD51R / OCMC guide · All civil court forms