Responding to a County Court Claim in Welsh — Your Language Rights in Wales

If you live in Wales and prefer to deal with court proceedings in Welsh, the law is on your side. The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and the Welsh Language Act 1993 give Welsh speakers the right to use Welsh in court proceedings, and HMCTS has specific obligations to accommodate this.

Your right to respond in Welsh

In civil proceedings in or having a connection with Wales, you can use Welsh in documents filed with the court. Tell the court as soon as practicable if you or a witness may use Welsh; the court arranges translation where needed.

If you file online through Online Civil Money Claims (OCMC), the portal interface is available in Welsh. Switch the language setting at the top of the page. Your typed responses within the portal are accepted in Welsh.

For paper filings sent to the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton, write your response in Welsh. The CNBC processes it without requiring you to provide an English translation.

Requesting a Welsh-language hearing

When you fill in the Directions Questionnaire (Form N180), include whether you, a party, or a witness may use Welsh, even if you have already told the court. The court will consider this when arranging the hearing; asking for Welsh does not by itself guarantee a fully Welsh hearing.

The applicable direction is the Practice Direction Relating to the Use of the Welsh Language in Cases in the Civil Courts in or Having a Connection with Wales. It applies to proceedings in or connected with Wales. The court lists a Welsh-speaking judge where practicable and arranges interpreters as needed. A fully Welsh hearing requires agreement of all directly involved or other arrangements made by the court.

If the case is being heard at a court in Wales (Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Caernarfon, or another Welsh hearing centre), tell the court what Welsh-language arrangements are needed. There is no automatic right to transfer a case from an English court to a Welsh court solely because of a language preference; ask the court to consider the request as part of case management.

Welsh-language helpline

HMCTS operates a dedicated Welsh-language helpline:

0300 303 5174

Use this number for any queries about your claim — checking whether your response has been received, asking about hearing dates, or getting procedural information. The staff on this line handle queries in Welsh and can assist with form completion.

For general administrative queries, the CNBC helpline is 0300 123 1056; use the Welsh-language helpline above for support in Welsh.

Practical points

Your defence must still comply with CPR Part 16, regardless of language. Address every allegation in the Particulars of Claim: admit it, deny it with reasons, or require the claimant to prove it. The court will consider Welsh-language arrangements under the practice direction; the procedural rules apply identically.

Witness statements can be prepared in Welsh. The court arranges interpretation or translation as needed for the hearing; tell the court about any language needs promptly.

Correspondence from the court may arrive in English. If you want HMCTS to correspond with you in Welsh, tell the court as soon as practicable. The HMCTS Welsh Language Scheme covers Welsh-language correspondence, including replies to correspondence received in Welsh.

Bilingual documents are common. Many HMCTS forms are available as bilingual Welsh/English versions. Check the HMCTS forms page on GOV.UK — search for the form number and look for the Welsh version (often marked "Cymraeg" or "(W)" in the filename).

The county court money claim response guide covers the full response process for defendants in England and Wales, including the postal response addresses, deadline calculation, and defence-drafting framework — applicable whether you file in English or Welsh.

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