The Latest Criminal Injuries Compensation Tariffs 2022
If you have been the victim of a violent crime, you may be entitled to compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
Who is CICA?
Established by the government in 1964, CICA processes over 35,000 claims each year and awards over £130million of compensation. They define a violent crime as an intentional or reckless act that involves at least one of the following:
- A physical assault
- A sexual assault
- Any act of a violent nature intended to cause physical injury
- A threat of physical violence intended to cause fear
CICA is, unfortunately, no stranger to criticism. Sceptics regularly accuse them of under-compensating victims and leaving them too long without a decision regarding their claim, causing further distress. Understanding how they break down their compensation eligibility protects you from inadequate compensation.
What are the criminal injuries compensation tariffs?
The criminal injuries compensation tariffs were drafted in 2012. The tariffs attribute a figure to every possible injury you may receive from a violent crime. The tariffs are divided into thirty-five tiers and split them into two sections – part A and part B.
Part A details eligible physical and mental injuries, including burns, paralysis, mental injury, nerve damage, and injuries to the body broken down by body parts. It has twenty levels and offers up to £250,000 in compensation. Recovery time, long-term damage and the extent of the injury are all considered when awarding compensation. Some awards available under the scheme are:
- loss of front tooth – £1500
- loss of taste – £3500
- dislocated jaw – £3500
- loss of ear – £11,000
- very serious brain injury – £175,000
Conversely, Part B has only fifteen levels and offers up to £44,000. It’s concerned with claims regarding sexual and physical abuse, and fatal criminal injuries. CICA determines payment by the pattern and severity of the abuse.
The 2019 Amendment
CICA launched their tariff system in 2012 to create a fair and simple compensation application system. However, it wasn’t without flaws, and the government amended the scheme in 2019.
The latest amendment abolished the “same-roof rule” that dictated that domestic abuse victims before 1979 were not entitled to compensation provided they lived in the same house as their abuser.
Victims Minister Edward Argar described the rule as “unfair” and went on to say: “Whilst no amount of compensation can make up for the immense suffering caused by such appalling crimes, by abolishing the rule we are widening access to much-needed support, and continue to review the entire scheme so it better supports victims.”
The scheme awarded over £20 million to the 1200 victims that applied for compensation following the amendment.
Are the criminal injuries tariffs fit for purpose?
A review by the Ministry of Justice in 2020 found the tariff system needlessly complex. Therefore, victims may not apply for compensation as they can’t work out if they’re entitled to it.
Dividing violent crimes into boxes has limitations, given that no two crimes are the same, and the impact they have will vary from person to person. Historically, CICA stringently followed the tariff rules, so critics argue that people have inevitably been under-compensated.
Finally, thousands of people are left waiting to hear about their application for over 12 months, during which their mental health may suffer. The scheme is not able to keep up with demand.
In light of their findings, The review ultimately stated that the criminal injuries compensation tariffs, and the scheme as a whole, are not fit for purpose and need systematic changes.
Am I eligible for compensation under the current tariffs?
You may be entitled to compensation if you are the blameless victim of a violent crime listed under the criminal injuries compensation tariffs. The tariffs are available under Annex E of The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
You must have reported the crime to the police and submitted your claim within two years of the date of the incident. You might not receive compensation if you have any unspent criminal convictions or if you provoked the attack, for example, by shouting at the assailant.
Criminal injury compensation experts highly recommended consulting a solicitor when applying for criminal injury compensation.
We can help you claim criminal injuries compensation
Our team of expert CICA solicitors can help you with your criminal injury claim. After suffering physically or mentally following a violent crime, working through the CICA application process can seem overwhelming. Let our specially trained team handle it, so you can focus on getting better.
To get started on your claim, fill in our enquiry form or give us a call on 0151 668 0829.