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Criminal Injury Claims: A Guide to CICA Compensation in the UK
If you’ve suffered a criminal injury, we can help you claim compensation
£85 million in compensation
Criminal Injury Claims: A Guide to CICA Compensation in the UK
If you’ve suffered a criminal injury, we can help you claim compensation
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Suffering an injury as the result of a violent crime can be life-changing. Alongside the physical pain, many victims are left dealing with emotional trauma, lost income, and long-term uncertainty. If you have been injured through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the harm you have suffered.
At JF Law, we help victims of criminal injury pursue compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and, where appropriate, through civil claims against those responsible. Our experienced solicitors understand how distressing these cases can be and provide clear, practical guidance at every stage of the process.
You may be eligible to make a criminal injury claim if you were injured as a result of an assault, sexual offence, domestic violence, or another violent act, even if the offender was never identified or prosecuted. Compensation can help cover pain and suffering, loss of earnings, medical expenses, and long-term care needs.
JF Law offers a supportive, confidential service and can assess your claim quickly to determine whether you are eligible to proceed on a No Win No Fee basis. Click below to get free advice today.
What Is A Criminal Injury Claim and the CICA?
Criminal injuries refer to injuries that you have suffered as a result of the criminal behaviour of another party. Criminal injury claims can be made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This government body awards compensation to victims of violent crimes.
Claiming through the CICA is often a last resort when other avenues of seeking compensation are not feasible. For example, you might be able to make a criminal injury claim against a vicariously liable party, such as a school or another institution, if you suffered an assault on their grounds. However, if you suffered a broken jaw during a mugging, it is unlikely you’d be able to claim against the criminal. It is these cases that the CICA awards compensation for.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible to start a claim, why not get in touch to use our free case assessment service? One of our advisors can provide further details on the process of claiming compensation and confirm whether you have a valid claim. They can also help assess whether your claim would be made through the CICA or against a vicariously liable party.
What Is The Criminal Injury Claims Process Like?
A simple overview of how a claim is prepared, assessed, and, where needed, challenged.
Evidence Collection
Supporting evidence is gathered, including police reports, medical records, witness statements, and proof of financial losses. Clear documentation is essential for a strong claim.
CICA Assessment
The claim is submitted to the CICA, who assess the incident, the injuries suffered, and their impact. Awards are made using a fixed tariff system.
Review Or Appeal
If the decision does not fully reflect the injury, a review or appeal can be pursued. JF Law manages the process, deadlines, and communication on your behalf.
The criminal injury claims process is designed to help victims of violent crime access compensation, even where the offender has not been caught or prosecuted. While every case is different, most criminal injury claims follow a clear and structured process. Let’s explain it:
The first step is confirming eligibility. A claim is usually made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which compensates victims of violent crime in England, Scotland, and Wales. To be eligible, the incident must have been reported to the police as soon as reasonably possible, and the applicant must meet the CICA’s residency and conduct requirements.
Once eligibility is established, evidence is gathered to support the claim. This may include police reports, medical records, witness statements, and proof of financial losses such as lost earnings or treatment costs. Accurate and complete evidence is essential, as CICA decisions are based heavily on documented information.
The claim is then submitted to the CICA for assessment. They will review the circumstances of the incident, the severity of the injuries, and how the injuries have affected the claimant’s life. Compensation is awarded based on a fixed tariff system, with additional payments potentially available for loss of earnings or special expenses in more serious cases.
If the initial decision does not fully reflect the impact of the injury, the decision can be challenged through a review or appeal. Throughout this process, JF Law can handle communication with the CICA, ensure deadlines are met, and present the strongest possible case on your behalf, allowing you to focus on recovery while your claim is being progressed.
The Eligibility Criteria For Making A Claim
Let’s explore the eligibility criteria for when it comes to making a criminal injury claim.
Who Can Make A Criminal Injury Claim?
Criminal injury claims are available to victims of violent crime who have suffered physical or psychological harm through no fault of their own. This includes injuries caused by assaults, sexual offences, domestic violence, or other acts of violence. Claims are typically made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
To be eligible, applicants must meet UK residency requirements. In most cases, you must be a British citizen, a close family member of a British citizen, or have settled or pre-settled status, refugee status, or humanitarian protection. The crime must have taken place in England, Scotland, or Wales, and the applicant must have cooperated with the police and relevant authorities.
Time Limits, Injury Types, And Loss Of Earnings
Most criminal injury claims are subject to a strict two-year time limit from the date of the incident. While exceptions may apply in limited circumstances, such as historic sexual abuse or cases involving vulnerable victims, it is always advisable to seek legal advice as early as possible.
Claims can be made for both physical and psychological injuries. Physical injuries may include broken bones, soft tissue injuries, or long-term disabilities. Psychological injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression, may also be compensable, provided they are supported by appropriate medical evidence.
In more serious cases, compensation may also include loss of earnings. This is usually only available where the injury has caused long-term incapacity to work, and supporting evidence, such as medical assessments and employment records, will be required to demonstrate the financial impact of the injury.
Why Reporting The Crime To The Police Matters
Reporting the crime to the police is a fundamental requirement of the criminal injury claims process. The CICA relies heavily on police reports to verify that a violent crime occurred and to assess whether the applicant cooperated with the investigation. Without a police report, a claim is unlikely to succeed.
The incident should be reported as soon as reasonably possible after it occurs. Delays can raise questions about credibility and may result in the claim being refused unless there is a clear and reasonable explanation. Police cooperation also extends beyond the initial report, as claimants may be expected to assist with ongoing enquiries where appropriate.
By ensuring the crime is properly reported and documented, victims strengthen the factual link between the injury suffered and the compensation being sought.
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What Types Of Injuries Can I Claim For?
It is possible to claim for a range of different injuries through the CICA. A criminal injury compensation claim can cover both physical and psychological injuries.
Examples of what you can claim for include the following:
- Broken bones, such as a fractured jaw, which may have been sustained in an assault.
- Injuries classed as greivous bodily harm (GBH)
- Injuries such as cuts and lacerations which may be caused by stabbing attacks that create bodily scarring.
- Injuries to the genitalia that may potentially be caused by sexual abuse or a sexual assault or instances of rape.
- Psychological conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which you have been diagnosed with due to an assault.
- Injuries sustained as part of domestic abuse and violence, such as bruises, bone fractures, cuts and gashes.
- Injuries caused by assaults, like road rage attacks
If you are eligible to make a CICA claim, then it’s possible to be compensated for more than one criminal injury. You can learn more about criminal injury compensation amounts further on in this guide.
Please get in touch with our advisors today if you would like to ask questions about your eligibility to make a criminal injury claim.
Criminal Injury Compensation Claim Payouts
The CICA provides set tariffs based on different types of violent crimes, the resulting physical injuries and the number of times that the assault occurred. This is established under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (2012). Your potential compensation payout will be based on this.
Please see the table below for some of the tariff figures for criminal injuries.
| Category | Information | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Epilepsy (Condition) | An assault that results in uncontrollable epilepsy | £44,000 |
| Sexual Assault | The incident has a severe impact on the mental health of the impacted person | £27,000 |
| Sexual Assault (Repeated) | Repeated instances of assault that cause the claimant to suffer harm | £22,000 |
| Facial Burns (Injury) | Assault giving rise to severe facial burns | £27,000 |
| Facial Fractures | Multiple face fractures | £11,000 |
| Nose (Injury) | An assault that causes a complete loss of taste and small | £16,500 |
| Eye (Injury) | Assault leading to loss of sight | £22,000 |
| Brain Damage (Condition/Injury) | Slight damage to the brain that has an impact on the claimant’s intellect and personality | £27,000 |
| Tinnitus (Condition) | Permanent and severe condition | £19,000 |
You can claim a criminal injury compensation payout for up to three injuries that result from a violent crime. The calculations for this would be:
- The most serious injury with the highest value, 100% of the tariff will be awarded
- For the injury with the second-highest value, you will receive 30% of the tariff figure
- For the injury with the third-highest value, you will receive 15% of the tariff figure
You may also qualify to receive further compensation for injuries that are not included in the main tariff, in cases of:
- A lost foetus
- The contract of a sexually transmitted infection
- Pregnancy
Furthermore, your monetary award may cover the financial impact relating to your criminal injury. You can read further information on whether you can claim this type of compensation below.
Although CICA provides fixed compensation tariffs, it can be difficult to estimate the total award that you could be entitled to. Our advisors offer free case assessments to give you a better understanding of what the compensation will cover. This also gives you the chance to raise any concerns you may have about claiming.
Can I Claim Back Financial Losses?
In order to claim compensation for your financial losses, which are referred to as special expenses, you must meet certain criteria. For example, if you wish to recover the earnings that you have lost due to the incident, your inability to work must have lasted more than 28 weeks.
You will also need to show that the expenses you have incurred are related to your criminal injury. Said expenses must relate to things you needed to buy and could not access for free via other means.
Examples of special expenses you may be able to claim include:
- Equipment or property that you need but was damaged or destroyed during the violent crime (such as a wheelchair)
- The cost of adaptations required to make your home livable after your injuries
- Payments for professional care related to bodily functions and food prep
You can reach out to our advisory team to learn more about what special expenses can cover. They have experience in handling enquiries of this nature and can explain anything you are unsure of.
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How Our Criminal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Start Your Claim
Our team of criminal injury lawyers have decades of experience navigating this potentially tricky area of law.
They have the expertise to offer you the support you need and the knowledge needed to navigate the claims process. They will ensure that you have the support you need to recover from your injuries and move on with your life.
Making a CICA claim for criminal injuries compensation can be a stressful process, especially if the CICA ask you for further details regarding the incident. This is where our solicitors can really help. Plus they can ensure that your claim is accurately valued and make sure every item that you can receive special expenses for is considered.
Furthermore, they can do this and more on a No Win No Fee basis. Our solicitors offer their No Win No Fee services under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). You may have heard the term ‘No Win No Fee’ before without knowing what it means. It breaks down as:
- Your specialist criminal injury solicitor will not ask you to pay upfront for the services they provide.
- They also don’t charge for this work as the claim progresses.
- Your solicitor also won’t require a fee for this work if your claim is not successful.
- You’ll have to pay a success fee if your claim succeeds. Furthermore, this fee is taken from your compensation as a percentage that the law places a limit on.
We pride ourselves
on providing the best service
possible for our clients.
We pride ourselves on providing the best service possible for our clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
When making a claim for assault compensation through the CICA, you don’t typically need to supply evidence. However, you will need to provide:
- The police reference number. This both proves the incident occurred and allows the CICA to liaise with the police when assessing your claim.
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements.
- Medical evidence of the injuries in which you are claiming for.
The CICA assess each criminal injury claim individually, and yourself, or legal representative may be contacted for further details.
12-18 months is how long the CICA aim to spend processing each claim.
However, this is only an aim. Specific claims may take longer. For example, if the CICA is handling a backlog of criminal injury claims, it may take longer for a decision to be reached on each one. Other reasons for delays could include:
- Whether your injuries have healed.
- Uncertain prognosis.
- If they need more information.
Additionally, if the claim for criminal injuries is awarded compensation too early, you may not be fully compensated. Alternatively, you may feel as if the offer made by the CICA isn’t high enough and wish to appeal.
This is why it is best to work with an expert criminal injury solicitor. A solicitor with years of experience supporting criminal injury compensation claims will know when to accept an offer or appeal. Additionally, an experienced solicitor will make sure that your three most severe injuries and special expenses are accounted for. A specialist criminal injury solicitor will be able to help you navigate the CICA claims process. Furthermore, our solicitors can offer these services on a No Win No Fee basis.
Yes. If you meet the CICA’s eligibility criteria, you can likely have the support of one of our No Win No Fee criminal injury solicitors.
If you contact the team at JFLAW, an advisor will assess whether you are eligible to work with one of our solicitors. If you are, and you wish to have expert support through each stage of the CICA claims process, they can connect you to a specialist No Win No Fee solicitor.
To find out if you can claim:
- Fill out our contact us form.
- Call 0151 375 9916
You may find that you are unable to claim through the CICA if you have been convicted of a crime. There are two types of criminal convictions:
- A spent conviction, where the penalty has been carried out and a certain amount of time has elapsed. The crime is essentially wiped off the convicted person’s record.
- An unspent conviction, where the offender is still in a period of rehabilitation.
If you have an unspent conviction, you cannot receive an award if the offence led to a:
- Custodial sentence.
- Sentence of service detention.
- Removal from His Majesty’s Service, such as a dishonourable discharge.
- Community Order.
- Youth rehabilitation order.
- Sentence that is excluded from rehabilitation.
This also applies to an equivalent sentence given in Northern Ireland or an EU member state.
Anyone who has an unspent conviction but is not excluded may find that their award is denied or reduced. The CICA will take on board cases that could call for an exception.
You can claim as normal if you have a spent conviction, though the CICA notes that it could reduce or withhold a payment if the claimant has, for example, a proven involvement in crime, illegal drugs or tax evasion.
Yes, it is possible to claim compensation for historical abuse through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). While claims are normally subject to a two-year time limit, exceptions can be made in cases of historic sexual abuse or where the victim was a child or otherwise vulnerable at the time of the incident. The key consideration is whether there is a reasonable explanation for the delay and whether the claim can still be properly evidenced. Police reports, medical records, and supporting statements are often crucial in these cases.
Yes, CICA decisions can be challenged if you believe the outcome does not accurately reflect your injuries or losses. The process usually begins with a request for a review, where the original decision is reconsidered. If the review is unsuccessful, you may then appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. Strict time limits apply at each stage, and appeals must be supported by clear evidence. Legal representation can significantly improve the chances of a successful appeal by ensuring the correct arguments and documentation are presented.
Yes, a criminal injury claim is entirely separate from the UK criminal justice system. You do not need a conviction, charge, or prosecution to make a claim through the CICA. Compensation is assessed on the balance of probabilities rather than criminal guilt. This means a claim may still succeed even if the offender was never identified or brought to court, provided the crime was reported and the eligibility criteria are met.
Victims of violent crime may be able to access a range of support services alongside making a compensation claim. This can include counselling, mental health support, victim advocacy services, and practical assistance through charities and local support organisations. During the claims process, we can also provide guidance and reassurance to help you understand your options while you focus on recovery and rebuilding your life.
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