Attachment of Earnings Order
After obtaining a Judgment against a defendant, if the Judgment remains unpaid, the claimant can seek an Attachment of Earnings Order (A of E). With a full Attachment of Earnings Order, the defendant's employer is instructed to deduct payments directly from the defendant's salary to settle the debt. These deductions are then sent to the court, which forwards them to the claimant. Alternatively, an Attachment of Earnings Order may be suspended, granting the defendant a chance to make voluntary payments to the claimant without involving their employer. However, if these payments are not made as agreed, the claimant can still pursue a full order for deductions from the defendant's salary.
An AoE application can only be made if:
- A defendant is behind with payments on a County Court Judgment (CCJ);
- Is an employee (not self-employed or on benefits);
- Owes more than £50.00 on a Judgment debt;
- Does not work for certain Governmental bodies (such as Ministry of Defence) and the army (including Merchant Sea-Men);
What is the fee for an application for an Attachment of Earnings Order?
Attachment of Earnings Order Fee: £131.00
The fee payable for an application for an Attachment of Earnings Order is £131.00 which is recoverable and added to the Judgment balance.