Who can see my C8 form?

The court, and Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru or a local authority if involved. The details are not revealed to anyone else, including the other party, unless the court orders it.

Is there a fee for form C8?

No. There is no fee. You send it with the application or response it relates to.

Can the court give my address to the other parent?

Only if the court directs it. Family Procedure Rules rule 29.1 says the details will not be revealed to anyone unless the court directs otherwise, so the court decides any request.

I put my address on a document by mistake. What now?

Contact the court office straight away, before the document is sent on if possible. Court staff cannot check your documents for you, so read every page and exhibit before filing.

Do I need a separate C8 for my children?

The form asks for the children's names and the name of the person whose details are to be kept confidential, and says to complete a separate form for each other person whose details you want withheld. If you are unsure what your situation needs, ask the court office.

Form C8: how to keep your address confidential in family court (2026 guide)

Family court · Forms · England and Wales · Last checked 23 October 2026

For a parent who has moved, or who lives in a refuge, an address appearing in court papers can feel like the biggest risk in the case. The C8 is simple; the hard part is making sure the address does not leak out somewhere else. This guide covers both.

What form C8 is for

The form's own heading cites Family Procedure Rules rule 29.1. Under rule 29.1(1), unless the court directs otherwise, a party does not have to reveal to anyone other than the court their own or another party's home address or other contact details, a child's address or contact details, or the name of a person a child lives with if that person is not the applicant. Under rule 29.1(2), a party who does not want to reveal those particulars must give notice of them to the court, and they will not be revealed to anyone unless the court directs otherwise. The C8 is how you give that notice.

The form says contact details include an address, phone number, email address, and the name of anyone a child lives with who is not already part of the case.

Who sees a C8

The gov.uk page and the form say the details are kept for use by the court and by Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru or a local authority if any of them is involved. They are not revealed to anyone else unless the court orders it. The other party does not get a copy of the C8.

The court can order disclosure. The rule is "unless the court directs otherwise", so confidentiality is the starting point, not an absolute. If the other party asks for your address, the court decides.

When you need it, and when you do not

The form gives an example of why someone might use it: you believe someone involved in the case could harm you or a child. You can also use it to protect another person's details. Rule 29.1 does not set a test you must pass before using it.

The main forms each point you to the C8:

C100, when applying about a child. See our C100 guide.
C2, in sections 2 to 4 for you, the respondents and others given notice. See our C2 guide.
C7, questions 1 and 3, when responding. See our C7 guide.
C1A, section 1 asks whether you have completed a C8. See our C1A guide.
FL401, for non-molestation and occupation orders. Its notes say that if you are in a refuge it is very important to keep the address confidential and to put it only on a C8. See our non-molestation order guide.

When it does not help. The form says to include only contact details you believe the other people in the case do not already know. If the other party already knows your address, the C8 cannot make them forget it, though it still keeps it out of the court papers.

Fee

There is no fee for a C8. You pay only the fee for the application it goes with, and Help with Fees (see our EX160 guide) can reduce or remove that.

Before you start

The current version. The gov.uk page was updated on 4 June 2026 with new wording, text boxes and layout. The footer reads C8 (06.26). A question about living in a refuge was added in January 2025.
Court name and case number, if a case already exists. For a new application, send the C8 with it.
One form per person. If you want another person's details kept confidential, the form says to complete a separate C8 for each person.
Your court's sending instructions. The FL401 notes say that if you email your application, attach the C8 as a separate attachment.

The form, section by section

Name of court.
Case number, if known.
The full names of the children.
The name of the person whose details are to be kept confidential.
Is this person currently resident in a refuge? Yes, no or do not know.

The omitted contact details. A box on page 2 where you list the address, phone number, email address or other details you want withheld. Only include details you believe the others do not already know.

Statement of truth. Signed by the applicant or respondent, or their legal representative. As with other court forms, a false statement without an honest belief in its truth can lead to contempt proceedings.

Common mistakes that reveal an address

The C8 itself warns that court staff cannot check your documents for unintended sharing of confidential details, and that the duty covers documents from other people, such as medical or financial reports. The slips that cause most problems are ordinary:

The main form. Writing the address in the main form anyway, or in a box such as "previous addresses".
Letterheads and envelopes. A covering letter with your address at the top, or a return address on the envelope.
Exhibits. Bank statements, payslips, tenancy agreements, GP or hospital letters, school reports and benefit letters usually show an address. Redact it before filing, and check every page.
Screenshots. Delivery notifications, maps, ride-hailing receipts and messages that mention a street or neighbourhood.
Photographs and file data. Digital photos can carry location data, and document properties can carry names or paths. Removing them before sharing files is a basic precaution.
Email signatures and auto-filled addresses when emailing the court or the other side.
Indirect clues. A new school, nursery, GP surgery or workplace named in a statement can point to an area.

Once a document has been served, it cannot be unserved. If you notice a slip before the other party has the document, contact the court office immediately.

What happens next

The court and, where involved, Cafcass use the details on the C8 to contact you, and do not pass them on unless the court orders it. Because you left them off the main form, the copy the other party receives does not contain them.

If your details change during the case, tell the court; a new C8 may be needed to keep the new details confidential. The other party can ask the court to order disclosure, and the court decides.

Separately from the C8, children cases are private. Section 12 of the Administration of Justice Act 1960 restricts publishing information about private children proceedings, and section 97 of the Children Act 1989 prohibits publishing material likely to identify a child involved, including their address or school.

Official form

Download form C8 from gov.uk. A Welsh version is linked from the same page.

If domestic abuse is part of your situation, legal aid may be available: check if you can get legal aid.

Where EvidenceCanvas fits, and where it does not. EvidenceCanvas does not fill in or file a C8, does not redact exhibits for you, and does not check documents for hidden addresses. You upload your own documents, it suggests the dates it finds, and it can draft a chronology or statement for you to check. Anything it drafts comes from what you upload, so if an address is in your papers it can appear in a draft. No person reads a draft before you get it, drafts can be wrong, and you check every line before you file it.

Questions people ask

Who can see my C8 form?: The court, and Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru or a local authority if involved. The details are not revealed to anyone else, including the other party, unless the court orders it.
Is there a fee for form C8?: No. There is no fee. You send it with the application or response it relates to.
Can the court give my address to the other parent?: Only if the court directs it. Family Procedure Rules rule 29.1 says the details will not be revealed to anyone unless the court directs otherwise, so the court decides any request.
I put my address on a document by mistake. What now?: Contact the court office straight away, before the document is sent on if possible. Court staff cannot check your documents for you, so read every page and exhibit before filing.
Do I need a separate C8 for my children?: The form asks for the children's names and the name of the person whose details are to be kept confidential, and says to complete a separate form for each other person whose details you want withheld. If you are unsure what your situation needs, ask the court office.

Checked on 23 October 2026: gov.uk, form C8 (updated 4 June 2026; form C8 06.26) and form FL401 (FL401 02.23 notes); Family Procedure Rules Part 29 (rule 29.1); Administration of Justice Act 1960, section 12; Children Act 1989, section 97. General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. Your court's directions take priority over this guide.