Particulars of Claim. How to read it and how to respond.

If you've received a Particulars of Claim as a defendant in a civil case, you're holding the claimant's written version of the story. It's their chance to explain to the court, in detail, why they say you owe them money or broke a legal duty. Understanding what you're reading, and knowing what your court options are in response, is the first step to defending yourself.

Here's the plain-English answer.

The short version

A Particulars of Claim is the claimant's detailed written account of what happened, what law they say you broke, and what they want from you. It's a mandatory document in almost all civil claims. The court rules that govern it (CPR Part 16) require the claimant to set out the facts concisely, explain what legal duty you breached, state what money or order they're seeking, and provide evidence in the form of a signed statement that the facts are true.

As a defendant, you read the Particulars to understand the claim, then respond with a Defence that addresses each paragraph. Your Defence must either admit, deny, or require proof of each allegation. A bare denial without explanation will get you nowhere in court.

At a glance

What a Particulars of Claim actually is

A Particulars of Claim is not an argument. It is a narrative. It is the claimant's statement of facts: what happened, in order, from their perspective. The claimant sets out the things they say are true. In civil law, the burden is lower than in criminal law. They don't have to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. They have to prove their case on the balance of probabilities, meaning "more likely than not." A Particulars of Claim is designed to give the defendant a fair warning of exactly what facts the claimant will need to prove, so the defendant can prepare a proper Defence.

The document is governed by the Civil Procedure Rules Part 16. These rules exist to stop claimants from burying the defendant in vague allegations or surprises. The claimant has to be reasonably precise. If they're not, the court can strike out their claim for failing to comply with the rules.

The rules governing Particulars of Claim: CPR Part 16

CPR Part 16 sets out the mandatory structure:

CPR 16.4: What the Particulars must include

1. A concise statement of the facts on which the claimant relies (not argument, not references to law, just facts).
2. A statement of the remedy they're seeking (money, an order from the court, or both).
3. If they're claiming interest, how much and what it's calculated on.

CPR 16.5: The Defence

Once you receive the Particulars, you must file and serve a Defence. In your Defence, you must respond to each allegation. You cannot ignore paragraphs or leave them hanging. Your response to each one must be one of three things:

1. Admit: you accept that the fact is true.
2. Deny: you reject that the fact is true, and you must give your reasons.
3. Require proof: you don't admit it, and you say the claimant has to prove it at trial.

A bare denial (just saying "denied" without any reason) is not enough. The court rules say you must set out the nature of your dispute. This means you have to explain why you deny it or what your version of the facts is.

CPR 16.5(5): Statement of truth

The Particulars of Claim must be signed by the claimant (or their solicitor on their behalf) with a statement of truth. This is a signed declaration that reads something like: "I believe the facts stated in this document are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth."

This is serious. It's a criminal offence to sign a statement of truth you don't believe. It's contempt of court.

Typical structure of a Particulars of Claim

Most Particulars follow a standard shape:

The parties

First, identification. "The Claimant is [name]. The Defendant is [name]." Sometimes there are multiple claimants or defendants. This section is straightforward.

Background facts

The claimant sets out the context. If they're claiming breach of a contract, they'll describe when and how the contract came about. If they're claiming negligence, they'll set out the circumstances. If they're claiming debt, they'll explain how the debt arose.

The alleged breach or wrong

This is the heart of the document. The claimant explains what legal duty they say you had (contractual, statutory, or a duty of care), and what you did (or didn't do) that breached it. They'll cite the contract clause if it's a contract dispute, or the statute if it's a statutory claim, or describe the duty of care if it's a negligence case.

Damages or remedy sought

What do they want? "The Claimant claims damages in the sum of £X" or "The Claimant seeks a court order that the Defendant pay £X" or "The Claimant seeks an injunction to prevent the Defendant from [action]." The remedy is always explicit.

Interest

If the claim is for money, the claimant often adds: "The Claimant claims interest at [rate] from [date] to [date of service], and continuing at [rate] until judgment or earlier payment."

Statement of truth

At the end, a line for signature and date, with the formal statement of truth language printed above it.

How to read each paragraph as a defendant

When you open a Particulars of Claim, you're going to see paragraphs numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on. Each paragraph is usually one sentence or a few sentences. The numbering matters because your Defence will respond paragraph by paragraph.

Read actively. For each paragraph, ask yourself:

1. Is this fact true? Do you agree with it?
2. Is this fact partly true and partly false? (If so, you'll need to say which bits you accept and which you contest.)
3. Do you have evidence that contradicts this fact?
4. Do you know what the claimant is alleging, or is it too vague?

If a paragraph is so vague you can't understand what the claimant is saying, you can deny it and say it's unclear. You can also ask the court to order the claimant to clarify their case (a "Request for Further Information").

What the numbered paragraphs do

Each numbered paragraph in the Particulars corresponds to a numbered paragraph in your Defence. You'll write:

"Paragraph 1: Admitted."

Or:

"Paragraph 2: Denied. The Defendant denies that the contract was made on the terms alleged. The contract was made on [your version] and was signed on [date]."

Or:

"Paragraph 3: The Defendant requires proof of this allegation."

The court will read through the Defence and immediately see which paragraphs you're fighting over and which you're conceding. It's a clear roadmap for trial.

The statement of truth at the end

The Particulars of Claim ends with a signature block and the statement of truth. This is the claimant's personal declaration that they believe the facts are true. If the claimant is a company, usually their solicitor signs it on the company's instructions. If the claimant is an individual, they usually sign it themselves.

The statement of truth carries weight. If the claimant signs it and you later prove that they knew facts in the Particulars were false, you can report them for contempt of court or perjury. It's a powerful accountability mechanism. It's why many claimants are cautious about what they put in their Particulars.

When the Particulars of Claim must be filed: with the Claim Form or within 14 days

The Particulars of Claim is usually served along with the Claim Form (the initial court document that announces the case is starting). But the rules allow the claimant to serve the Claim Form first and the Particulars within 14 days after.

This split service is common. You'll receive a Claim Form that says, roughly: "You are being sued. You have 14 days from the date you receive the full Particulars of Claim to respond." Then, a few days later, the detailed Particulars arrive.

"Served" means the document has been delivered to you by one of the court-approved methods: personal delivery, email, post (first class), or at your address of business. The date of service is crucial because your deadline to respond is calculated from it. If you're unsure of the service date, check the Particulars or the Claim Form for an attestation of service.

How to write your own Defence in response

Once you have the Particulars, you have 14 days to file and serve your Defence. If you don't respond, the claimant can ask the court for a default judgment, which means you lose automatically without the case being heard.

Your Defence should:

1. Mirror the Particulars paragraph-by-paragraph. Number each response to match the Particulars.
2. Address every paragraph. You cannot skip any.
3. Admit what's true. If a fact is true, admit it. It saves time and shows the court you're not being obstructive.
4. Deny with reasons. If you dispute a fact, say so and explain why. Don't just say "denied." Explain what your version is.
5. Require proof where you genuinely don't know. If the claimant has alleged something you can't speak to, you can require them to prove it. But don't use this as a dodge for every paragraph; courts get annoyed with that.
6. Set out your own version of events. In some cases, you'll want to assert your own facts. For example, if the claimant says you didn't pay an invoice, you might say you did, or you might say the goods were defective and you were entitled to withhold payment. Do that in your Defence.
7. Sign with a statement of truth. Just like the Particulars, your Defence must be signed with a statement of truth. You're declaring that you believe the facts in your Defence are true.

The three required responses for each paragraph: admit, deny, or require proof

CPR 16.5 is clear. For each allegation in the Particulars, you must do one of three things:

Admit. Write "Paragraph X: Admitted." This means you accept that fact as true. Once you've admitted something, you can't change it at trial unless the court allows it. Don't admit facts lightly.

Deny. Write "Paragraph X: Denied. The Defendant denies that [fact]. [Your version of the facts.]" You must say why you deny it. "Bare denials" (denials with no reason) breach the rules and the court won't accept them.

Require proof. Write "Paragraph X: The Defendant requires the Claimant to prove this allegation." Use this sparingly. It's appropriate when you genuinely don't know if the fact is true or not. It's not appropriate as a way to avoid giving your own version. If you use it for every paragraph, the court will order you to clarify your Defence.

Common dangers of responding to Particulars of Claim

Silence is dangerous. If you don't file a Defence within 14 days, the claimant can apply for a default judgment. The court will award them everything they asked for without hearing your side of the story. This is final and enforceable. Don't ignore a Particulars of Claim.

Bare denials are dangerous. If you deny every allegation without explaining why, the court will see it as obstruction. It won't help you at trial. You'll have to set out your evidence eventually, so do it in the Defence.

Admitting too much is dangerous. Once you admit a fact, you can't unsay it. Don't admit things you're uncertain about. If you need time to gather evidence, "require proof" instead.

Inconsistency is dangerous. If your Defence contradicts itself, or contradicts evidence you later produce, the court will question your credibility. Be consistent. If you're changing your account from what you said earlier, explain why.

Missing the deadline is dangerous. If you're more than 14 days late, the court will grant the default judgment. If you're late but haven't yet been defaulted, apply to the court immediately to extend your time. Be proactive.

Day to day: what happens after you file your Defence

Once the claimant receives your Defence, they have options:

1. Accept it. If you've admitted enough of their case, they might accept the Defence and move to the quantification of damages stage (if it's a money claim).
2. Apply for judgment on the papers. If they say your Defence is legally hopeless (even if the facts were as you state them, the law doesn't support your defence), they can ask the court to rule against you without trial.
3. Set a trial date. If there are genuine disputes of fact, the case goes to trial. You and the claimant both present evidence, and the judge decides.

The process varies based on the track: small claims (up to £10,000), fast track (£10,001 to £100,000 and expected to last less than a day at trial), or multi-track (bigger cases or longer trials).

Common misconceptions about Particulars of Claim

"I can write my own Particulars of Claim without a solicitor." You can, but it's risky. If your Particulars don't follow CPR Part 16, the court can strike them out and order you to start again. You also have to prove your case at trial, so vagueness will hurt you.

"If the claimant makes a spelling mistake in the Particulars, the case is void." No. The court doesn't care about spelling or minor procedural mistakes if the defendant understands what they're being accused of. The mistake has to be serious enough to cause real prejudice.

"I can ignore paragraphs I don't like." No. You must address every paragraph. Ignoring some is treated as silence, which courts interpret as admission.

"Bare denial is acceptable if I'm defending myself." No. Whether you have a solicitor or not, the rules apply. You must explain your denial.

"The Particulars of Claim is evidence." No. It's an allegation. The claimant still has to prove what they've written at trial. Your Defence can require proof of all of it.

Related concepts

If you found this page useful, these related terms may appear in your case documents:

• Claim Form. The document that starts the case. It arrives before (or with) the Particulars of Claim.
• Defence. Your written response to the Particulars, where you admit, deny, or require proof of each allegation.
• Counterclaim. If you have your own claim against the claimant, you can include it in your Defence as a counterclaim.
• Request for Further Information. If the Particulars are too vague, you can ask the claimant to clarify specific points.
• Witness statement. A signed statement from a person who saw events relevant to the case. Often attached as evidence to support your Defence.
• Disclosure. The exchange of documents between you and the claimant. Each side has to give the other all relevant documents.
• Statement of truth. The signed declaration at the end of court documents, stating that the facts are believed to be true.
• Default judgment. A judgment awarded against you if you don't respond to the Claim Form within the deadline.
• Track. The category of claim (small claims, fast track, multi-track) which determines the court procedures.

Sources

The information on this page is based on:

• Civil Procedure Rules Part 16. The mandatory procedural rules for Statements of Case. https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part16
• HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Guidance on Making a Court Claim for Money. https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money
• The Judiciary of England and Wales. Official guidance and court procedures. https://www.judiciary.uk/

This page was reviewed for accuracy on 2026-05-28. UK civil procedure rules change occasionally; check the guidance above for the most current information.

A note on what this page is and isn't

This is information about UK civil procedure. It is not legal advice. It does not tell you whether you have a good defence, whether you should fight the case, or what your legal options are. If you have a specific legal problem, you should speak to a solicitor or a Direct Access barrister about it.

CaseCalm helps defendants and litigants in person understand UK court procedures and draft their own court documents. We are not a law firm and we are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. When your situation needs real legal advice, we point you to qualified professionals.

Written by Peter Kolomiets. Reviewed for accuracy 2026-05-28. Questions or corrections to peter@casecalm.com.