CICA Criminal Injuries Compensation

To be eligible for a Criminal Injuries Compensation Award you must meet all of the following conditions:

• You were a victim of a violent crime — this includes physical assault, sexual assault, robbery with violence, and certain road traffic incidents where a vehicle was used as a weapon.
• The crime occurred in England, Scotland, or Wales (Northern Ireland has the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme NI).
• You suffered a physical or psychological injury of sufficient severity to qualify under the tariff (generally injuries that last more than 6 weeks or are permanently disabling).
• You reported the crime to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and cooperated fully with the police and any criminal proceedings.
• You apply within two years of the incident (or two years from your 18th birthday if the incident happened when you were a child, or two years from when the connection between the crime and your injury was first established).

Conduct deductions: The CICA can reduce or refuse your award if your own behaviour contributed to the incident — for example, if you provoked the attack or were involved in a fight. Unspent criminal convictions can also lead to a reduction or refusal, even if they are unrelated to the incident.

Pre-existing conditions: If a pre-existing physical or mental health condition is made worse by the crime, the CICA will compensate only for the worsening attributable to the crime, not the underlying condition.

The CICA uses a fixed tariff of injuries published by the government. Each injury is assigned to one of 25 bands, with Band 1 paying £1,000 and Band 25 paying £250,000. The maximum single award is £500,000.

Examples of tariff amounts (approximate 2024–25 rates):

• Fractured nose (displaced, requiring manipulation): £2,500 (Band 3)
• Loss of one front tooth: £1,500 (Band 2)
• Disabling mental illness (moderate, 2–5 years): £8,200 (Band 8)
• Rape: £11,000 (Band 10)
• Loss of sight in one eye: £55,000 (Band 17)
• Paraplegia: £250,000 (Band 25)
• Tetraplegia: £500,000 (maximum)

If you have multiple injuries, the highest award is paid in full, the second-highest at 30%, and the third-highest at 15%. Injuries below that are not additionally compensated.

In addition to the injury tariff, you may also claim for:

• Loss of earnings (if you cannot work for more than 28 weeks due to the injury) — up to 1.5 times gross weekly earnings at the time, assessed over the period of incapacity
• Special expenses — necessary costs directly resulting from the injury (care costs, adaptations to your home, equipment) where not covered by statutory benefits
• Bereavement payments and fatal injury awards if a family member was killed as a result of a violent crime

Applications to the CICA are made online at the CICA's GOV.UK service. The process involves:

1. Gather your information: You will need details of the incident (date, location, crime reference number from the police), medical evidence of your injuries, your National Insurance number, and details of any lost earnings or special expenses you are claiming for.
2. Apply online: Visit gov.uk/claim-criminal-injuries-compensation and complete the online application. You can save your progress and return to it. There is no fee to apply.
3. CICA review: A CICA caseworker will review your application, contact the police to verify your report, and may request further medical evidence or information from you.
4. Decision letter: The CICA will write to you with their decision. If they make an offer, you will have time to consider it before accepting or requesting a review.

Time limits: The standard time limit is two years from the date of the incident. For sexual abuse or assault that occurred in childhood, the two-year period runs from your 18th birthday (or from when the connection between the abuse and your injury was established). The CICA can extend the time limit in exceptional circumstances — for example, where you lacked capacity to apply, but you must provide strong reasons.

Getting help: Victim support organisations including Victim Support, the National Association of Victim Support Schemes (NAVSS), and some solicitors (including those working on a no-win no-fee basis) can assist with CICA applications. Citizens Advice can also provide initial guidance.

If you are unhappy with the CICA's decision — whether your claim was refused, the amount is lower than you expected, or your award was reduced because of your conduct or criminal record — you have the right to challenge it:

1. Request a review: Ask the CICA to conduct an internal review of the decision. You must do this within 56 days of receiving the decision letter. The review will be carried out by a different caseworker. The CICA can increase, maintain, or reduce the award at review stage.
2. Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Criminal Injuries Compensation): If you remain dissatisfied after the review, you can appeal to the independent tribunal within 90 days of the review decision. The tribunal is entirely independent of the CICA and can consider the full merits of your claim.

Tribunal appeals are free to bring. You can represent yourself or be represented by a solicitor or charity. Many victims' charities and law centres offer free representation at tribunal. The tribunal will normally hold a hearing (in person or by video) where you can give evidence.

If you win at tribunal, the CICA must pay your award. If you lose, you cannot normally appeal further unless there was a legal error — in that case you can apply for judicial review.