Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

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Key definition

Defamation definition

What does Defamation mean? Defamation describes claims arising from publication to a third party of words, images or other communications that damage reputation. In practice it is an umbrella term for libel (generally written or recorded publications) and slander (transient speech), though some jurisdictions now treat defamation as a single cause of action. In England and Wales, the Defamation Act 2013 and case law require proof of serious harm to reputation (serious financial loss for bodies trading for profit) and adopt a single-publication rule. Libel is actionable per se; slander usually requires special damage, subject to limited exceptions. In Scotland, the Defamation and Malicious Publication...

Defamation and Malicious Falsehood Limitation (England and Wales): accrual and one-year period, extensions (disability, concealment, s32A), single publication rule (s8), and post‑limitation amendments/parties (CPR 17/19)

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Practice notes

The ordinary time limit for defamation and malicious falsehood claims

A claimant has one year to issue a defamation claim from the point when the cause of action arises, namely the date the defamatory statement is first made public (section 4A of the Limitation Act 1980 (LA 1980), inserted by section 5 of the Defamation Act 1996). The Court of Appeal in Siniakovich v Hassan-Soudey confirmed that a claim is treated as ‘brought’ on the day the claim form is first delivered to the court office, even if the office properly declines to issue it because the whole of the appropriate fee has not been paid. For libel, the claimant’s ignorance of any publication at the time is irrelevant to accrual, and so does not postpone the start of the limitation period applicable to their claim. In most varieties of slander and malicious falsehood, however, the cause of action accrues when the claimant suffers pecuniary loss, meaning the limitation period may not track the date of first publication. In short, limitation runs from first publication in libel, but from financial harm for most slander and malicious falsehood. The day on which a cause of action for libel and slander...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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