Court action and CCJs · 5 min read
What is a CCJ? County court judgments explained
How a county court judgment works, how to respond to a court claim, what happens if you don't pay, how CCJs lead to bailiffs, and how a CCJ affects your credit file for six years.
- Fact-checked
- Against official sources
- Last updated
- Next review due
- April 2027
- Applies to
- England and Wales
- Sources
- 3 listed on this page
Independent guidance, not a government service. This page is general information about the law in England and Wales, not financial or legal advice. Debt solutions have fees, risks and consequences. For free, impartial advice, contact MoneyHelper or a debt charity.
The short answer
A county court judgment (CCJ) is a court order saying you owe money and must pay it. It usually follows a claim form you didn’t respond to or couldn’t pay. If you pay in full within one month, it’s removed from the register. Otherwise it stays on your credit file for six years, and if you don’t pay as ordered, the creditor can use bailiffs, deductions from wages, a charging order or other enforcement.
How a CCJ happens
- Claim form from the courtUsually 14 days to respond
- County court judgment (CCJ)Court orders you to pay, in full or by instalments
- Paid in full within one month?It's removed from the public register
- If you don't pay as ordered, the creditor can ask for
Simplified illustration. A CCJ stays on your credit file for six years unless paid within a month or set aside. Not advice.
- Letter before claim. For most consumer debts, the creditor must send a letter before starting court action, giving you time to respond.
- Claim form. The court sends you a claim form. You usually have 14 days to respond (or 28 days if you file an acknowledgment of service to say you’ll defend).
- Your response. You can pay, admit the debt and offer instalments, or dispute it.
- Judgment. If you don’t respond, the creditor can get judgment by default. If you admit and offer instalments, the court decides how much you pay each month.
Responding to a claim form
Don’t ignore it. You can:
- Admit and make an offer using the admission form. Include a realistic budget. The court will usually set payments based on what you can afford.
- Dispute all or part of it if you don’t owe the money or the amount is wrong.
- Ask for more information, such as a copy of the credit agreement.
Responding gives you control over the payment amount. Ignoring it usually means a default judgment for the full amount, payable at once.
What happens after a CCJ
- Pay in full within one month: the CCJ is removed from the public register and shouldn’t affect your credit file.
- Pay later: the CCJ is marked as “satisfied” but stays on your credit file for six years from the judgment date.
- Don’t pay as ordered: the creditor can apply to enforce it.
How a CCJ can be enforced
| Enforcement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Warrant of control | County court bailiffs visit to take control of goods. See warrant of control and form N245. |
| Transfer to the High Court | For CCJs of £600 or more, High Court Enforcement Officers can be used – except for debts regulated by the Consumer Credit Act, which must stay in the county court. See High Court Enforcement Officer letters. |
| Attachment of earnings | Money taken from your wages. See attachment of earnings orders. |
| Charging order | A charge secured on your home. See charging orders. |
| Third party debt order | Money frozen and taken from your bank account. |
Can a CCJ be removed?
- Paid in full within a month: yes, from the register.
- Set aside: if you didn’t receive the claim, or have a real defence, you can apply to set it aside. Read how to set aside a CCJ.
- After six years: it drops off your credit file automatically.
If you can’t afford the payments
You can ask the court to vary (reduce) the payments if your circumstances change. If you have several debts, a formal solution such as a Debt Relief Order or IVA can include CCJ debts and stop creditors enforcing them. Breathing Space can pause action for 60 days while you get advice.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a CCJ stay on my credit file?
Six years from the date of judgment, unless you pay in full within one month or it’s set aside.
Can bailiffs come for a CCJ?
Yes, if you don’t keep to the payments ordered and the creditor applies for a warrant of control or transfers it to the High Court.
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ?
It’s harder, especially if the CCJ is recent or unpaid. Specialist lenders may consider applications.
Does a CCJ affect my partner?
Not directly, unless the debt is joint. CCJs are recorded against individuals.
Sources
How we wrote this article
- Research: written from primary sources such as legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK and the Insolvency Service, then fact-checked by a second member of our team. The sources are listed above.
- Checked: last checked on . Next review due April 2027, or sooner if the rules change.
- Scope: applies to England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, read our Scotland and Northern Ireland guide. It is general information, not personal advice.
- Independence: we are not a government website or service, and we are not connected to any council, court or enforcement company.
- Money: we may receive a fee if we introduce you to a debt advice firm. This doesn't change what we write. How we're paid.
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