12. Going to court

If you want to take a case to court, you must start your case within six months minus one day from when you first knew about the discrimination. The court can give you copies of the claim form N1 and more information about procedures.

How will I pay for my case?
If you are claiming less than £5,000, your case can be dealt with fairly simply and cheaply on the 'small claims track'.

If you do this, you won't need a solicitor to represent you, but you should get advice before starting your claim. If you are claiming more than £5,000, you need to think carefully about how you will pay for your case, because the costs can be very high. If you cannot afford to pay for court action yourself, there are several ways you may be able to pay for your case. These are:

• The Commission for Racial Equality may take on your case, for example, as a 'test case'.
• You may be able to get funding from the Community Legal Service (formerly called Legal Aid), provided you meet certain conditions.
  
• You may be able to find a solicitor who will take on your case under a 'no-win, no-fee' agreement. See the Community Legal Service leaflet 'No-win, no-fee actions' for more about this.