Criminal Injuries Compensation
What victims and survivors need to know about claiming compensation after a violent or sexual crime
If you have been seriously injured by a violent crime, including sexual violence, you may be able to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Here’s what you need to know.
Navigating the criminal justice system can already involve forms, deadlines, decisions and long periods of waiting. Knowing that there is another process you may need to navigate to claim compensation can feel overwhelming.
But if you have experienced a violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales, you may be eligible for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
And importantly: you do not necessarily need to wait for a criminal trial to finish before applying.
What is CICA?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) administers a government-funded scheme designed to compensate people who have been physically or mentally injured as a result of violent crime.
This can include victims and survivors of sexual assault, rape and other serious violent offences.
Compensation is separate from any sentence imposed on the person responsible. It is also possible in some circumstances even where nobody has been convicted.
Eligibility depends on the scheme's rules and your individual circumstances.
A helpful introduction to CICA from Victim Support.
Know the two-year deadline
This is one of the most important things to know.
In most cases, an application must be made within two years of the crime being reported to the police.
There are circumstances where CICA can extend this deadline, including where exceptional circumstances meant you could not reasonably have made the application earlier.
If you think you may already be outside the deadline, do not automatically assume you cannot claim. Contact CICA and explain your circumstances.
Similarly, if you were advised by police, prosecutors or somebody else involved in your case to wait until criminal proceedings were over, tell CICA this when discussing or making your application.
You don’t have to wait for a conviction
A CICA application is not the same thing as a criminal prosecution.
You may therefore be able to receive compensation even if the person responsible was not charged or convicted.
CICA will, however, usually expect the crime to have been reported to the police and for an applicant to have cooperated with the criminal justice process, subject to the rules and exceptions within the scheme.
You can apply yourself
You do not need a solicitor to make a CICA application.
Applications can be made:
online
over the phone
using a paper form.
If you are struggling to complete the application yourself, you can contact CICA for assistance.
You can also choose someone you trust, such as a friend or family member, to act as your representative.
Some victim support organisations may be able to provide emotional or practical support while you go through the process, although they may not be able to make the application or formally represent you.
You can choose to instruct a solicitor or another paid representative, but check carefully what you will be charged and how any fee would affect the compensation you ultimately receive.
What happens after you apply?
When you submit an application, you should receive a CICA reference number. Keep this somewhere safe - it is separate from your police crime or reference number.
CICA says applicants should receive confirmation that their application has been received within around one week.
After that, there may be a considerable wait.
CICA says it can take up to 12 months before it contacts you again, as it may need to obtain information from other organisations before making its decision.
It may ask you for additional evidence, including:
medical reports
further information about your injuries
photographs of scarring
information relating to loss of earnings.
If CICA asks for additional information, you will usually have 30 days to provide it, so keep an eye on correspondence relating to your application.
Keep CICA updated
You should tell CICA if important information changes while your application is being considered.
This could include a change of address or phone number, a change of representative, or receiving compensation for the same crime from another source.
If you are unsure what is happening with your application or believe there has been a significant delay, you can contact CICA and ask about its progress.
When you receive a decision
CICA will write to you with its decision.
If compensation is offered, the letter should explain:
how much you have been offered
how the decision was reached
how to accept the payment.
You normally have 56 days to accept an offer.
Once CICA receives your acceptance, it says payment will usually be made within 20 working days.
Do not ignore the deadline if you need more time. In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to ask for an extension.
You can challenge a CICA decision
A decision from CICA is not necessarily the end of the process.
If you disagree with its decision - including whether you should receive compensation or the amount you have been awarded - you can ask for it to be reviewed.
You normally have 56 days from the date of the original decision letter to request a review.
You can also submit any additional information you want CICA to consider.
If you disagree with the outcome of that review, you can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal.
An appeal must normally be made within 90 days of the review decision.
You do not have to appoint a lawyer to request a review or make an appeal.
The key deadlines
Usually within two years of reporting the crime:
Make your CICA application.
30 days:
Usually the time given to provide additional information when CICA requests it.
56 days:
Usually the deadline for accepting an award or requesting a review of the original decision.
90 days:
Usually the deadline for appealing a review decision to the First-tier Tribunal.
Deadlines can sometimes be extended in particular circumstances, so if you think you have missed one, seek advice rather than assuming the process is closed to you.
Why knowing this matters
Victims and survivors are expected to navigate an extraordinary amount of information, often while dealing with the impact of the crime itself.
A right is far less meaningful if you do not know it exists.
If compensation may be available to you, you deserve to know about it, understand the deadlines and know that you can question a decision you believe is wrong.
You shouldn’t have to become an expert in another system to access something you may be entitled to. But knowing your rights can help you protect them.
This feature provides general information rather than legal advice.
Eligibility and deadlines can depend on individual circumstances.
For the latest guidance and advice about a particular application,
check the official CICA guidance or contact CICA directly.
