High Court Enforcement Officers: Powers and Fees (2026)

First enforcement stage: £200plus 7.5% over £1,200
Second enforcement stage: £520only if no agreement is kept
Forced entry to a home: Nobusiness premises only
Writ valid for: 12 monthscan be extended by the court

How a debt ends up with the High Court

A creditor with a county court judgment for £600 or more can transfer it to the High Court for enforcement, and has to if the full amount of a judgment over £5,000 is to be enforced against goods. The High Court then seals a writ of control addressed to an enforcement officer.

Judgments on debts regulated by the Consumer Credit Act, which covers most credit cards and personal loans, cannot be enforced this way. They stay in the county court whatever the amount.

Typical writs involve unpaid business invoices, rent arrears, employment tribunal awards and utility debts where a judgment has been obtained.

The four fee stages

In force from 1 May 2026. On debts over £1,200, 7.5% of the amount above that is added at the first enforcement stage and again at the sale stage.
Stage	When it applies	Fixed fee
Compliance	The officer receives the writ and sends a Notice of Enforcement.	£79
First enforcement stage	A first visit. If it ends in payment or in an agreement that is kept, the fees stop here.	£200
Second enforcement stage	No payment or agreement is reached, or an agreement is broken.	£520
Sale or disposal	Attendance to remove goods for sale.	£550

Because private creditors are often not VAT registered, a sum equivalent to VAT can be added to these fees. The creditor’s £82 court fee for sealing the writ is also added to what is owed, and interest on the judgment can be.

New from 1 May 2026

Where nobody is in on the first visit, the officer cannot move to the second enforcement stage until the person “has been given another opportunity to make payment in full or enter into a repayment arrangement or a controlled goods agreement”.

What High Court enforcement officers can and cannot do

The rules allow them to

Visit between 6am and 9pm, after a Notice of Enforcement giving 14 clear days.
Come into a home peacefully.
Use reasonable force to enter business premises where they reasonably believe the debtor trades.
Take control of vehicles and goods belonging to the debtor.
Offer a controlled goods agreement in place of removing goods.

The rules do not allow them to

Force entry to a home on a first visit.
Take protected household items, or work equipment worth up to £1,350 in total.
Take goods belonging to someone else, including a limited company’s goods for a director’s personal debt.
Enter when only a child under 16 or a vulnerable person is present.

Rather talk it through with someone? Request a call

Asking a court to pause a writ

A writ of control can be paused by a court order called a stay of execution. The application is made on form N244, and the fee is £321 for an application on notice or £126 where it is by consent or without notice, from 13 July 2026.

Where the judgment itself is disputed, the application is to set the judgment aside. If that succeeds, the writ falls with it. Both are applications a court decides on evidence, and court staff cannot give advice on them.

Checking an officer is genuine

Every authorised officer is listed in the directory kept by the High Court Enforcement Officers Association. Enforcement agents working under an officer’s direction hold a certificate that can be checked on the Certificated Enforcement Agent Register. A genuine writ carries a court seal and a claim number that the issuing court can confirm.

Fraudsters do pose as High Court officers by phone and ask for an immediate bank transfer. How to check a bailiff is genuine

Common questions

Can High Court enforcement officers force entry?

Not to a home. They can use reasonable force to enter business premises. At a home they need to be let in or to find a door unlocked.

Are High Court enforcement officers the same as bailiffs?

They are one kind of enforcement agent. They follow the same rules on notice, hours, entry and protected goods as other bailiffs, but charge on a separate, higher fee scale.

Can a credit card debt be sent to the High Court?

No. A judgment on a debt regulated by the Consumer Credit Act can only be enforced through the county court.

How much do High Court enforcement officers charge?

£79 at the notice stage, £200 for the first enforcement stage, £520 for the second and £550 for the sale stage, plus 7.5% of the debt above £1,200 at two of those stages, and a sum equivalent to VAT where the creditor is not VAT registered.

Want to talk it through with someone?

Tell us where things are up to and one of our team will call to talk it through. A debt adviser then explains the options. There is no obligation to go any further.

Request a call WhatsApp us

Speak to someone now on 0161 660 0876

We do not charge for speaking to you. If you choose a debt solution, you are referred to one of our trusted debt solution providers, and we receive a fee if you enter into an agreement with one of them. A debt solution may have fees, which are explained before anything is agreed.

Free debt advice is available

These organisations give free, impartial debt advice and are independent of Bailiff Support Team. Nobody has to use a paid or commercial service to get help with their debts, and using one of the free services does not reduce the options available. Their advisers can also ask an enforcement firm to extend a notice period or apply for Breathing Space where it fits.

MoneyHelperGovernment-backed. Finds a free debt adviser nearby or online.
StepChange Debt CharityFree debt advice online and by phone.
Citizens AdviceDetailed help with bailiffs, online and in person.
National DebtlineFree advice and sample letters, run by the Money Advice Trust.