What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?

This guide will explore the question ‘What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’. In short, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 is government funded and administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) as a way to compensate victims of violent crimes in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The CICA is a government agency that deals with compensation claims from those who have suffered due to a crime of violence in one of the aforementioned countries.

what is the criminal injuries compensation scheme

What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?

This guide will provide further guidance on when you could be eligible to make a criminal injury claim through the CICA, and the process involved in doing so. We will also outline examples of injuries that could be awarded compensation under the Scheme.

Lastly, the guide will explain how our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors can offer assistance with your claim.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your potential claim, please contact our advisors for free by:

Select A Section

  1. What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme And When Could You Make A Claim?
  2. How Can You Prove Criminal Injury Claims
  3. What Injuries Could You Receive Compensation For?
  4. Examples Of CICA Payouts
  5. No Win No Fee Criminal Injury Claims
  6. Learn More About Making Criminal Injury Claims

What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme And When Could You Make A Claim?

As mentioned, the CICA is a government agency that handles compensation claims from people who have sustained an injury, either physical or psychological, in a violent crime in Great Britain. It provides a last resort for people with no other available route to seek compensation and handles more than 30,000 claims annually. They administer the Scheme, decide who is eligible for compensation, and assess how much compensation should be awarded. 

In order for you to make a criminal injury claim through the CICA, you need to meet the eligibility criteria which involves showing that:

  • You were injured as a victim of a violent crime. The Scheme has their own definition of what a ‘crime of violence’ constitutes. We will explore this in more detail later in our guide.
  • The incident occurred in England, Scotland or Wales, or another relevant place, such as a ship registered to one of the previously mentioned countries.
  • You reported the crime to the police. 
  • You are within the time limit to start your claim. 

If you need any more information with regard to the question ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’, please get in touch with our advisors using the above contact details.

CICA Claims Time Limits

The time limit for making a criminal injury claim with the CICA is normally two years from the date of the crime. However, there are circumstances that mean you may be able to claim for a crime of violence that occurred more than two years ago. For example:

  • If you are claiming because of sexual or physical abuse that happened while you were a child.
  • If you were unable to claim earlier due to the impact the crime had on your physical or mental health.

As mentioned in the above section, the crime needs to be reported to the police in order to claim through the CICA. This needs to be done as soon as it is reasonably possible for you to do so. However, if you were unable to report the incident to the police at the time, the CICA can make exceptions if you can prove there were extenuating circumstances that prevented you from doing so.

For more information on the time limits for claims made through the CICA, please call an advisor on the number above.

How Can You Prove Criminal Injury Claims

The CICA requires evidence to make a decision on your claim. As such, they may ask you to provide:

  • Medical evidence of your injuries;
  • Proof that you meet the residency requirements;
  • A crime reference number to show you reported the incident.

The CICA can liaise with the police if needed and collect pertinent information related to the incident, including that you co-operated with the police and that your behaviour did not contribute to the incident in which you were injured. They can also gather evidence of your criminal record from the police, if you have one.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team if you need any guidance on gathering evidence to support your case.

What Injuries Could You Receive Compensation For?

When exploring the question ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’, it’s important to understand the definition of a crime of violence provided by the Scheme. This is a crime that involves, for example:

  • A attack of a physical nature.
  • Arson or fire-raising;
  • Sexual abuse or assault;
  • An act of violent nature that results in physical harm.

You also do not have to be the victim of a violent crime to claim. For example, if you witnessed a violent crime where a loved one sustained a criminal injury, you may be able to claim for any resultant psychological injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you are uncertain whether the CICA could handle your claim, please speak with our team for a free consultation.

Examples Of CICA Payouts

If you are asking, ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’, you may also wonder what payments you could be awarded under the Scheme for any injuries.

A tariff of injuries is set out in the Scheme 2012. The CICA will use the tariff to calculate payments for injuries. If you have sustained multiple injuries in a crime of violence, you could be entitled to:

  • The full tariff total for the injury with the greatest value.
  • 30% of the tariff total for an injury with an equal value. If there is not one, this applies to the injury with the second greatest value.
  • 15% of the tariff total for the injury with the third greatest value or one valued equally to the injury with the second greatest value.

As per the Scheme, compensation cannot be awarded for more than three injuries. However, if you have become pregnant, lost a foetus or contracted an STI due to a violent crime, you could receive an additional tariff payment.

You can see a range of examples of CICA payouts in the table we have assembled below. Please note, these amounts are fixed. 

Compensation Table

Edit
Type of Harm Further Information Compensation Amount
Major Paralysis – Not Resulting From Brain Damage Substantially complete paraplegia – impaired motor or sensory function of the lower body. £175,000
Leg Loss of one leg, or loss of total function in one leg, where there is no remaining leg with any useful function. £82,000
Arm Loss of a dominant arm. £55,000
Burns General burns where more than 25% of the total area of skin is burned, affecting multiple areas and causing significant scarring. £33,000
Hand One non-dominant hand is lost or there is an equivalent loss of function. £33,000
Mental Injury A seriously disabling and permanent mental injury, as confirmed by a mental health professional. £27,000
Finger Or Thumb Loss of both index fingers. £16,500
Wrist One wrist is fractured or dislocated and there is an ongoing significant disability. £6,200
Elbow One dislocated or fractured elbow, giving rise to continuing significant disability. £6,200
Humerus – Upper Arm Bone One fractured arm with a substantial recovery. £1,500

Could You Be Awarded Further Compensation?

Further payments are possible, for example, in the form of special expenses. If you meet the relevant criteria, you could receive a payout for reasonable and necessary expenses brought about directly by the crime of violence. This can include:

  • The cost of replacing physical aids that were damaged or lost during the incident.
  • Administration costs if the crime causes a lack of mental capacity to handle your affairs as normal.
  • Home adaptation costs, such as the installation of a ramp or stair lift.

You could additionally claim for a loss of earnings payment if the right conditions are met.

Please speak with our advisors to learn more about receiving a payment for special expenses and loss of earnings. 

No Win No Fee Criminal Injury Claims

If you choose to work with an experienced criminal injury solicitor from our panel, it could benefit you in several ways. For example, they could assist you in gathering evidence, as well as guiding you through the different stages of the process involved in seeking compensation through the CICA. Additionally, a solicitor could take on your claim under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a form of a No Win No Fee contract.

Under a CFA, you can normally expect not to pay for your solicitor’s services:

  • Upfront;
  • During your case;
  • At the end, if the case fails.

A successful claim means that your solicitor would collect a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation. This is their success fee. A legal cap is applied to this percentage due to the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.

Talk To Our Specialist Team

Our team of advisors can clear up any uncertainties you may still have about the question, ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’. Moreover, they can assess your claim for free and see if your case could be picked up by a solicitor from our panel. If you are interested in pursuing a criminal injury claim or simply want to learn more about the process of doing so, you can:

Learn More About Making Criminal Injury Claims

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Thank you for reading our guide answering the question, ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’. Our advisors are ready to chat, so please do not hesitate to reach out via phone, the live chat function or our online form if you have anything you would like to discuss.

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