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Form C8: keeping your address private in family court

How to give the court your address without the other side seeing it, and how not to give it away by accident.

By Paige ThomsonFacts checked 20 October 2026Covers the law in England and Wales

Form C8 asks the family court to keep your contact details private from the other people in the case. You give your address, phone number and email on C8 instead of the main form, and only the court and Cafcass (or a local authority) can see them, unless the court orders otherwise. There is no fee.

Official name
Confidential contact details (Family Procedure Rules 2010, rule 29.1)
Court fee
None
Online or paper
Paper; online services ask the same question
Who fills it in
Anyone in a family case who needs their details, or someone else’s, kept private
When
With your main application or response
Current version
C8 (06.26)
Where it goes
With your main form, following the instructions for that form

Correct at 20 October 2026. Fees from GOV.UK, Family court fees (EX50).

How do you fill in Form C8?

C8 is only three pages. The hard part is making sure nothing else you send gives the details away.

Questions 1 to 5: the case and the person

The court, case number, children’s names, the name of the person whose details are being kept private, and whether they live in a refuge. If you want more than one person’s details kept private, complete a separate C8 for each.

The omitted contact details

List the details you want kept private: address, phone number, email address, and the name of anyone a child lives with who isn’t already part of the case. The form says only to include details you believe the other people don’t already know.

Statement of truth

Sign and date it.

What are the common mistakes on Form C8?

  • Writing the address on the main form as well as on C8.
  • Attaching documents that show it: payslips, bank statements, medical letters, school reports or tenancy agreements with your address on them.
  • A child’s school or nursery named in another document, which can reveal where you live.
  • Assuming the court will spot it. The form warns that court staff cannot check your documents for details shared by mistake.

What happens after you send Form C8?

The court keeps the details on file for its own use and for Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru or a local authority if they’re involved. They won’t be given to anyone else unless the court orders it. Leave the address boxes blank on every other form you send, and redact your address from any documents before you file them.

Where do you get Form C8?

Download C8 from GOV.UK and send it with your main form, such as C100, C7, D10, D11 or Form A. The divorce application D8 has its own box for keeping your details private.

Open Form C8 on GOV.UK

We explain forms but never host them, so you always download the current version from GOV.UK.

When should you get help with Form C8?

If you’re keeping your address private because of abuse, speak to a family solicitor or a domestic abuse service about protection orders. There’s no court fee to apply for a non-molestation or occupation order.

Get help with Form C8

Tell us what’s going on and we’ll introduce you to two or three family solicitors who can help. Introductions are free for you.

Get matched with a family solicitor

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Common questions

Who can see the details on form C8?

The court, and Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru or a local authority if they are involved in your case. Nobody else, unless the court orders it.

Can I use C8 in a divorce or financial case?

Yes. The divorce, financial and children forms all refer you to C8 if you need your contact details kept private. The D8 divorce application has its own confidentiality box.

Does C8 hide details the other person already knows?

No. The form says only to include details you believe the other people in the case do not already know.

Is there a fee for form C8?

No. There is no fee.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK, Apply to keep your contact details confidential: Form C8 (form version 06.26)
  2. GOV.UK, Family court fees (EX50), updated 13 July 2026
Form C100Ask the court to decide where children live, time with each parent or a specific issueForm C1ATell the court about domestic abuse or risk of harm in a children caseForm C7Reply when you are named in a children applicationForm D10Reply to your spouse’s divorce application (the acknowledgement of service)Form AStart a financial case, or apply for a consent order

Guides and tools

Child arrangements order without a solicitorThe C100 from start to finishDealing with a difficult exPractical steps when things are hardDivorce when you can’t find your spouseDeemed service, bailiffs and dispensing with service

This page is general information about court forms, not legal or financial advice. Forms, fees and rules change, so always download the current form from GOV.UK and speak to a qualified professional about your situation. Facts checked 20 October 2026.