What to do if…
you receive notice that wages may be garnished because of a court order you did not expect

What to do now

1. Work out which UK system this is (England/Wales vs Scotland vs Northern Ireland). From the paperwork/payroll copy, identify:
   • the issuing body (a court name, Sheriff Officers/Scottish documents, or the Enforcement of Judgments Office in Northern Ireland),
   • the reference/case number,
   • the creditor/claimant name,
   • and when deductions start (or if they already started).
2. Ask payroll for a copy of the exact document they received (and keep your own copy). You’re looking for the header that shows who issued it and any instructions about where to send queries/objections.
3. Verify the order directly with the issuer using independent official contact routes.
   • If it’s England/Wales, confirm the case with the named court and ask what judgment/order exists.
   • If it’s Northern Ireland, confirm whether it’s being enforced through the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO).
   • If it’s Scotland, look for terms like earnings arrestment and ask what decree/document and notices were issued.
4. Ask for copies of the key documents and how you were notified. Specifically request:
   • the judgment/decree (what decided you owe money),
   • the earnings order/arrestment paperwork (what instructs payroll),
   • and what the file shows about service/notification (what address/route was used).
5. If you genuinely did not know about the case, ask what the “set aside” (or equivalent) route is in your UK nation.
   • England/Wales: ask the court about applying to set aside a default judgment (commonly via form N244) if you never received the claim/judgment papers.
   • Scotland / Northern Ireland: ask the issuing body (or a local adviser) what the correct procedure is to challenge the underlying decision or enforcement when you say you were not properly notified.
6. If the debt might be yours but the deduction amount is unaffordable, ask about changing the payment amount using the correct authority’s process.
   • England/Wales: ask the court what application they require to vary the payment terms and/or suspend enforcement while it’s considered (often form N245 is used to vary instalments, depending on what order exists).
   • Northern Ireland (EJO): ask the EJO what process exists to adjust an attachment of earnings based on your means.
   • Scotland: ask a debt adviser what options exist to address an earnings arrestment and what notices should have been served.
7. Do two quick “surprise explanation” checks that often resolve confusion.
   • Old address: ask what address the issuer used and update your address with them immediately.
   • Wrong person / mistaken identity: check the name and identifiers on the paperwork; if anything doesn’t match, tell the issuer and payroll you may be the wrong person and you are disputing identification.
8. Check whether it’s truly a “court order” or another official deduction. Some wage deductions (for example, certain child maintenance enforcement) can follow different routes. Treat anything that names a government department/agency as a separate track and focus on verifying the issuer named on the document.
9. Get reputable free advice quickly so you file the right thing. Tell them: “My employer says they received an order to deduct from earnings, but I didn’t know about the case. I need to verify the judgment/decree and the fastest way to challenge or vary it.”