An arbitration claim form (form N8) annotated with guidance notes. This document is only available in MS Word format. Unless the claim form is served in existing proceedings, you should also serve an acknowledgment of service form (N15) with the claim form.

For further information on completing this form, see Practice note, Arbitration claims in the English court: navigating the CPR and the Arbitration Act 1996: What to include in Form N8. You should also read the Notes for Claimant and Notes for Defendant.

Note that electronic filing, using the Courts Electronic Filing System (CE-File), is mandatory for all professional users in the Business and Property Courts (B&PCs) in London (Rolls Building courts), in the B&PCs nationwide and in the Queen's Bench Division (QBD) in London (PD 51O). For more information, see Practice note, Electronic working and the Courts Electronic Filing system.

An arbitration claim form will often be accompanied by a witness statement that is a trial witness statement within the meaning of CPR PD 57AC. A trial witness statement must comply with the requirements of PD 57AC in relation to both preparation and content. Among other things, this means that in addition to containing a statement of truth, the witness statement must include a confirmation of compliance signed by the witness and be endorsed with a certificate of compliance signed by the relevant legal representative. For further guidance, see Practice note, Trial witness statements in arbitration claims under Practice Direction 57AC. For a sample trial witness statement, see Standard document, Trial witness statement under PD 57AC: example (with drafting notes).