There are certain criteria you must meet in order to be eligible to receive compensation from the CICA.
- You must have sustained an injury as the result of violence in Great Britain, on or after August 1 1964 – but the offender does not necessarily need to have been caught
- You should apply to the CICA within two years of the occurrence of the injury
- The correct application form must have been completed. By signing the form you consent to the CICA obtaining records relevant to the incident, injuries and your benefits and earning entitlement
- You should have suffered with at least one injury for six weeks
- You should have seen a doctor for at least one of the injuries
What are you entitled to?
Compensation from the CICA is based on a tariff system, with a specific amount awarded for the injuries and, where applicable, compensation for lost earnings.
The minimum award that can be made is £1,000 and the maximum is £500,000. You should bear in mind that these limits apply to individual and group claims to the CICA – the upper limit remains the same for groups, so this would be awarded collectively.
You can only be compensated for the three most serious injuries you have suffered on the tariff. The amount awarded for each will be as follows:
- 100% of the compensation on the tariff for the most serious injury you suffer
- 30% of the compensation on the tariff for the next most serious injury
- 15% of the compensation on the tariff for the third most serious injury
- You may also receive additional compensation for loss of earnings. You may also receive special expenses or any time off work over 28 weeks, up to a £500,000 maximum
Withholding or reducing an award
The CICA funded by the government on the basis that the public feel sympathetic towards the victims of crimes – so if an applicant is considered to be morally undeserving, compensation may be withheld or reduced in certain circumstances.
Compensation may be reduced or withheld if:
- The applicant has failed to report the incident to the police
- The applicant has failed to cooperate with the CICA or the police
- The applicant has behaved inappropriately before, during or after the incident
- State benefits or an insurance payout have been received in respect of the incident
- Compensation from a civil or criminal claim has been received
- The applicant has unspent criminal convictions
For applicants with unspent criminal convictions, penalty points will be used to decide on the reduction to compensation. More information on this can be found on the government website.