Witness Statement Template for Small Claims Court (UK)

This witness statement template provides a working draft. It explains how to write a witness statement for a County Court small claim. For wider preparation, read CaseCraft.AI’s guide to taking a person to small claims court.

The track normally covers claims worth no more than £10,000. Lower limits apply to parts of some injury and housing claims. Check the live CPR Part 26 track limits. This guide covers England and Wales only.

Witness statement template for small claims court

Copy this template for a witness statement into a document. Replace each square bracket. Delete any note that does not fit your case.

IN THE COUNTY COURT AT [COURT OR HEARING CENTRE]
Claim number: [CLAIM NUMBER]
Between:
[CLAIMANT’S FULL NAME], Claimant
and
[DEFENDANT’S FULL NAME], Defendant

WITNESS STATEMENT OF [FULL NAME]
For: [CLAIMANT OR DEFENDANT]
Statement number: [FIRST, SECOND]
Exhibits: [AB1 TO AB3]
Date: [DAY MONTH YEAR]

I, [full name], of [home or suitable work address], [occupation or description], state:

1. I am the [claimant, defendant or other witness]. I make this statement from my own knowledge, apart from matters where I name another source.
2. [State how the document was prepared, such as from your own draft or an interview.]
3. On [date], [describe the first relevant event].
4. On [date], [describe the next event].
5. The agreed price was £[amount]. I paid £[amount] on [date].
6. I refer to [the contract, invoice, email or photograph] marked “[AB1]”. It shows [short factual point].
7. [State the result, loss or response linked to the disputed issue.]

Statement of truth
I believe that the facts stated in this witness statement 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.

Signed: __________________
Full name: _______________
Dated: ___________________

The wording above matches the current Practice Direction 22 statement of truth and Practice Direction 32 witness-statement wording. Check both links before publication or signing.

This sample witness statement for court is a framework, not evidence. A witness must check each fact. Do not sign text that the witness cannot honestly confirm. A witness statement template Word download can help with editing, but the full text should stay visible on the web page.

Preparing a small claim? CaseCraft.AI lets users upload evidence, view a claim summary and track steps in one place.

How to write a witness statement for court?

Readers ask: How do you write a witness statement? The five steps below give the answer. They show how to write a statement for court in practice, how to write a witness statement for easy review and how to draft a witness statement with clear facts.

1. Add the case heading

Give the court, claim number, parties and witness name. Add the date, statement number and exhibit range. This is the core witness statement format.

2. Introduce the witness

Give the witness’s name, suitable address, occupation and link to the case. Separate own knowledge from information and belief.

3. Put events in date order

Use numbered paragraphs, with one factual point in each. Add dates, names and sums. A witness statement sample could say: “The £1,250 invoice fell due on 15 March 2025. No payment had arrived by 29 March 2025.”

This is how to write a statement for court without copying the claim form. It is writing a statement for court as evidence, not retelling every disagreement.

4. Separate knowledge from other information

State the source. For example: “Asha Khan told me this by telephone on 18 March 2025.” That detail shows how to write a statement for court as a witness who did not see every event.

5. Link facts to the evidence

Name the document and exhibit reference in the same paragraph. Explain what it proves. See what counts as evidence in a money claim.

These steps answer how to write a witness statement template and how to write a statement to the court. They work for a sample witness statement; then each fact must be replaced with the witness’s own evidence.

How to label exhibits and supporting evidence?

Keep exhibits separate from the statement. Give each one the witness’s initials and a number. Sam Jones could use SJ1 for the contract, SJ2 for the invoice, SJ3 for emails and SJ4 for photographs.

Refer to each exhibit at the right factual paragraph. Write: “The defendant confirmed that £680 was due on 20 June 2025. I refer to the email marked SJ3.” Do not attach piles of material with no explanation.

Use one numbering sequence for later statements from the same witness. The next document after SJ4 should be SJ5. Keep the exhibit pages in the same order as the references. CaseCraft.AI’s guide on how to present evidence in small claims court shows how to build an evidence bundle.

The familiar exhibit method comes from Practice Direction 32. Most of Part 32 does not apply automatically to small claims. Rule 32.1 on court control remains. The court order takes priority under CPR Part 27.

The statement of truth, signature and date

Use the full wording shown in the template. The maker signs their own statement and prints their full name. Date it on the signing date. The wording must be in the witness’s own language.

The witness signature rules are strict on honesty. A false statement made without an honest belief in its truth can lead to contempt proceedings. The witness signature example is simple: signature, printed name and date. Never use another person’s signature.

Part 22 says a witness statement can be ruled inadmissible without a statement of truth. Read the official CPR Part 22 signing rules.

When and where to send your witness statement?

Read the directions or hearing notice first. They say what to serve, what to file and the deadline. Send copies to the other party and court only as directed. Keep proof of posting, email delivery or upload.

Standard small-claims directions often set a date 14 days before the hearing for documents. A special order can set another date. The Practice Direction 27A directions say the court can disregard late documents or witness evidence.

Take the statement and original documents to the hearing, or have access to them for a remote hearing. Seek court guidance at once after a missed deadline.

Common witness statement mistakes

Avoid these faults:

• Copying the particulars of claim instead of giving evidence.
• Giving legal argument, insults or guesses.
• Using a witness statement example for another tribunal.
• Missing numbered pages, paragraphs or the claim number.
• Listing exhibits without saying what they show.
• Treating second-hand information as own knowledge.
• Using old statement-of-truth wording.
• Missing the signature, date or service deadline.
• Adding facts that the witness cannot know.

Include the facts the judge needs for the disputed issues. Leave out the rest. Examples of witness statements help with structure. Good witness statement examples show layout, but copied facts damage trust. Treat examples of witness statements as layouts, not facts.

Witness statement checklist

• Correct court, claim number and party names
• First-person text in numbered paragraphs
• Clear chronology with dates, names and sums
• Own knowledge separated from information and belief
• Exhibits labelled and linked to facts
• Current statement of truth
• Signature, printed name and date
• Court deadline checked
• Copies filed and served as directed

Use this list to check any witness statement sample or sample witness statement for court. Keep the same witness statement format in a witness statement template Word file or plain web text.

Clear next step

Use this guide on how to write a witness statement for court and how to write a statement to the court. Copy the template, match facts to evidence and check the order. A template for a witness statement is only a framework.

The searches how to write a witness statement template, statement of witness template, template witness statement and court statement template describe the same document. The witness supplies the facts. Review any witness signature example and the witness signature rules.

Earlier steps: letter before action template for the UK, what a letter before action means and making a breach of contract small claim.