If you have been injured, let down by a professional, or left out of pocket, one question matters before almost any other: how long do you have to do something about it? Miss the deadline, and even a very strong claim can be lost for good. Yet many people only find out about time limits when they are already close to running out.

Claim time limits in England and Wales vary widely depending on the type of claim, from as little as six months to challenge a Will to 30 years for some defective building work. Most are set by the Limitation Act 1980, but others come from separate rules and schemes. Many also have exceptions, such as the "date of knowledge" and special protection for children.

This guide brings the main claim time limits together in one place, across personal injury, medical negligence, housing disrepair, civil disputes, Wills and family matters. It is a starting point, not a substitute for advice, because the correct deadline always depends on the facts. If you are unsure, our team can check your dates quickly.

Claim time limits at a glance

The table below summarises the main time limits in England and Wales. Each one is explained in more detail further down.

How time limits work

A time limit, also called a limitation period, is the deadline for starting court proceedings. It is not the deadline for contacting a solicitor or making a complaint, and it is not met by sending a letter. To protect your claim, proceedings must normally be issued at court before the limitation period expires.

Most time limits are set by the Limitation Act 1980. The clock usually starts from the date of the incident or breach, which lawyers call the date the "cause of action" arose. Once the deadline passes, the other side can use it as a complete defence, regardless of how strong your case is.

Exceptions that can extend the deadline

Several rules can change when the clock starts or whether it runs at all. In injury and negligence claims, the three years can run from your "date of knowledge", when you first knew, or reasonably should have known, that you had a significant injury caused by someone else's act or omission.

For children, time does not start until their 18th birthday, so a three-year limit runs until they are 21. For someone who lacks the mental capacity to manage their affairs, time does not run while they lack capacity. Where the other side has deliberately concealed the facts, or the claim is based on fraud, time may not start until the concealment or fraud is discovered.

In personal injury and medical negligence claims, the court also has discretion to allow a claim to proceed even after the three years have passed, if it would be fair to do so. This is never guaranteed, and it should be seen as a safety net rather than a plan.

Personal injury claims

For personal injury claims, including road traffic accidents, accidents at work and public liability claims, you generally have three years from the date of the accident, or from your date of knowledge if later. Industrial diseases, which develop gradually, usually run from the date you first knew your condition was linked to your work.

Some injury claims have different deadlines. Applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority for injuries caused by violent crime must normally be made within two years, with special rules for people injured as children, as explained in the GOV.UK guide. Claims for injuries on international flights fall under an international convention with a strict two-year limit that the court cannot extend.

Where someone has died, their family and estate generally have three years from the date of death, or from when they first knew the death may have been caused by negligence.

Medical negligence claims

Medical negligence claims follow the same three-year rule as personal injury. Because the effects of negligent treatment are not always obvious straight away, the date of knowledge is particularly important. A delayed cancer diagnosis or a surgical error may only come to light years later, and the clock may start only when you discover the link.

Children have until their 21st birthday, which is especially relevant in birth injury cases. For people who lack capacity, there may be no time limit at all while that continues. Because medical negligence claims take months to prepare, with records and expert reports needed before proceedings are issued, it is wise to seek advice well before the deadline.

Housing disrepair claims

If your landlord has failed to carry out repairs, you can generally claim compensation for disrepair, and for the inconvenience and damage to belongings it has caused, going back up to six years, because these claims are based on the landlord's repairing obligations under your tenancy.

If the disrepair, such as damp and mould, has also made you or your family ill, the personal injury part of the claim is subject to the usual three-year limit. Our housing disrepair solicitors can check which parts of your claim are still in time.

Contract, debt and building disputes

Most claims for breach of contract must be brought within six years of the breach. The same applies to claims to recover unpaid debts, such as invoices or loans. Where a contract was signed as a deed, the limit is extended to 12 years. Negligence claims that do not involve personal injury, such as professional negligence causing financial loss, also generally have a six-year limit from when the damage occurred.

Where damage is hidden, such as defects in a building that only appear later, there is an alternative limit of three years from when you knew, or should have known, about the damage, subject to an overall longstop of 15 years from the negligent act. For claims about defective new homes under the Defective Premises Act 1972, the Building Safety Act 2022 extended the time limit to 15 years, and to 30 years for work completed before 28 June 2022.

Commercial and property disputes often turn on the exact contract terms and dates, so our civil litigation solicitors will always check limitation at the outset.

Wills and inheritance disputes

If you believe you have not been left reasonable financial provision from someone's estate, a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 must usually be made within six months of the grant of probate. The court can allow a late claim, but only in limited circumstances. A claim to correct a mistake in a Will, known as rectification, also generally has a six-month limit.

Challenges to the validity of a Will, for example on the basis of lack of capacity or undue influence, do not have a fixed statutory deadline in most cases, but delay can make a challenge much harder, particularly once the estate has been distributed. Beneficiaries' claims to recover their share of an estate generally have a 12-year limit. Our Wills team can advise on disputes as well as making sure your own Will is clear.

Family law

There is no strict time limit for applying for a financial order after divorce, which is why it is so important to get a court order that ends financial claims. However, delay can affect how a court approaches a claim, and if you remarry before making an application, you generally lose the right to bring certain financial claims against your former spouse. Our financial settlement solicitors can advise on protecting your position.

Applications about children, such as where they live or how much time they spend with each parent, have no time limit, as the court always focuses on their welfare at the time. Property disputes between unmarried couples can be affected by time limits depending on the type of claim, so early advice is important.

Frequently asked questions

What is the time limit for most claims in the UK?

In England and Wales, most personal injury and medical negligence claims must be started within three years, and most contract and debt claims within six years. Some claims, such as Inheritance Act and criminal injury claims, have much shorter deadlines.

Can I still claim if the time limit has passed?

Possibly. The deadline may run from your date of knowledge rather than the date of the incident, and it is paused for children and people who lack capacity. In injury claims, the court also has discretion to allow a late claim if it would be fair.

Does making a complaint stop the time limit?

No. Complaints, investigations and negotiations do not pause the time limit. To protect a claim, court proceedings usually need to be issued before the deadline, or a standstill agreed with the other side.

What time limits apply to children?

For most claims, the time limit does not start until the child turns 18. For personal injury and medical negligence, that gives them until their 21st birthday. A parent can bring a claim on their behalf before then.

Are time limits the same in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

Not always. This guide covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, which differ for some types of claim, so you should check the rules that apply where the claim would be brought.

Conclusion

Claim time limits in the UK range from six months to 30 years, depending on the type of claim, and many have exceptions that can extend or pause the deadline. Three years for injury and medical negligence and six years for contract and debt claims are the most common, but shorter limits apply to criminal injury, international flight and inheritance claims.

Because a missed deadline can end a claim entirely, it is always better to check early than to assume you have time. A short conversation with a solicitor can confirm your deadline and make sure your claim is protected.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts, so please contact Nayyars Solicitors for advice specific to your situation.