If you have experienced domestic abuse, compensation is possible through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). They are a public body set up to help those who can’t claim criminal injuries compensation through other means. This guide will explain how it works.
Firstly, we will discuss what a CICA claim involves and explain the specific eligibility requirements your case needs to meet in order to claim through them.
Additionally, we share the specific evidence you will need to make a claim through the CICA for compensation, as well as the time limits you must adhere to. Furthermore, we will discuss how the CICA may calculate your compensation and how a No Win No Fee solicitor could help you through the claiming process.
Contact our advisors today to discuss your case and receive free advice. Our friendly team are available 24 hours a day:
- Call us on 0333 000 0729.
- Submit an online enquiry.
- Use the Live Chat feature below.
Choose A Section
- Can I Claim Domestic Abuse Compensation?
- What Types Of Domestic Abuse Could I Claim For?
- Do I Need To Report Domestic Abuse To The Police?
- What Do I Need To Claim Domestic Abuse Compensation Through The CICA?
- What Is The Time Limit For A Domestic Violence Claim?
- How Much Compensation Could I Receive For Domestic Abuse?
- How Long Do Domestic Abuse Claims Take?
- Can I Claim For Criminal Injuries On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- Read More About Claiming For Injuries Caused By Violent Crime
Can I Claim Domestic Abuse Compensation?
As previously aforementioned, the CICA can award compensation to those who have been victims of crimes of violence. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 set out examples of incidents that are classed as a crime of violence; this includes arson, sexual assault and physical abuse, such as domestic abuse.
To be able to claim domestic abuse compensation through the CICA you will need to meet certain eligibility requirements. These include:
- You must have been injured in a crime of violence as covered by The Scheme.
- The crime took place in Great Britain or a ship or boat registered to England, Scotland or Wales, for example.
- The crime was reported to the police.
- The claim is started within the time limit. We discuss what this time limit is later on in this guide.
The CICA will expect you to seek compensation elsewhere before going to them, for example, claiming directly against the perpetrator. This might not work for various reasons, say if the perpetrator was never identified or because they can’t afford to pay you compensation.
To see whether you could be eligible to make a claim through the CICA, you can contact our advisors.
What Types Of Domestic Abuse Could I Claim For?
Domestic abuse comes in many forms. Under the CICA, some forms of domestic abuse you could be able to claim compensation for include:
- Physical abuse, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
- Psychological abuse that results in a psychological injury.
- Sexual abuse.
To discuss your case and see whether you may be eligible to claim domestic assault compensation through the CICA, you can contact our advisors.
Do I Need To Report Domestic Abuse To The Police?
The CICA will expect you to report the incident to the police as soon as you practically can. If you do not report the incident to the police, you will be unable to make a claim through the CICA.
If there has been a delay in reporting the incident to the police, you will need to explain why.
Contact our advisors to discuss your potential domestic abuse compensation claim and see how we could help you.
What Do I Need To Claim Domestic Abuse Compensation Through The CICA?
You will need to show three pieces of information to start a claim for domestic abuse compensation through the CICA. This evidence is:
- You meet the residency requirements.
- A police crime reference number.
- Medical evidence of the injuries you’re claiming for.
Any additional information the CICA may need in regards to your case, they can liaise with the police for this.
You can discuss making a personal injury or a CICA claim with one of our advisors today.
What Is The Time Limit For A Domestic Violence Claim?
A CICA claim must be made within two years of the incident taking place. If exceptional circumstances prevented you from claiming within this time frame, you may be able to claim outside of this window. However, the CICA will asses these circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
For those who were criminally injured while as a minor, the time limits are as follows:
- You will have two years to start your claim from the date of your 18th birthday, provided that the incident was reported to the police prior to this.
- If the incident was not reported to the police, you will have two years to begin your claim from the date this report is made. You will need to prove that this report could not be made sooner as exceptional circumstances prevented you from doing so, such as cases of historic sexual abuse.
To see if you are still within the time limit to make a domestic abuse compensation claim through the CICA, you can connect with our advisors.
How Much Compensation Could I Receive For Domestic Abuse?
A question we are frequently askes is, ‘How much criminal injuries compensation could I receive for my case?’
The CICA Scheme has a tariff of injuries listed within it, that the CICA use to calculate your claim. This is a fixed tariff, meaning if your claim is a success, you will receive the exact amount listed for your injuries.
Below, you can find some examples of CICA payouts for different types of injuries that may be suffered in a domestic abuse compensation claim. Please note however, the top entry does not come from this tariff.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries plus Special Expenses | Severe | Up to £500,000 | Compensation for suffering multiple severe criminal injuries as well as for special expenses |
| Brain Injuries | Very serious | £250,000 | There is a significant effect on the sense with no useful physical movement and a reduced life expectancy. |
| Arm Injuries | Paralysis | £44,000 | Affecting the dominant arm |
| Mental Injuries | Seriously Disabling | £27,000 | A diagnosis has confirmed there is a permanent mental injury that is seriously disabling |
| Hip Injuries | Fractures or Dislocations | £16,500 | Affecting both hips and causing a continuing significant disability |
| Leg Injuries | Severe Damage | £16,500 | To both legs causing a significant continuing disability. |
| Physical abuse of adults including domestic abuse | Persistent pattern of severe abuse | £8,200 | Lasting over a period of more than 3 years. |
| Severe Abuse | £5,500 | The person will suffer with a minor disfigurement due to a pattern of repetitive violence | |
| Serious Abuse | £2,000 | Intermittent physical assaults resulting in various healed wounds but with no major disfigurement |
Under the multiple injuries formula, you can claim compensation for up to three injuries through the CICA. The amount fo compensation you would be awarded for each injury is as follows:
- The most serious injury – 100%.
- The second-most serious injury – 30%.
- The third-most serious injury – 15%.
Compensation under a different tariff could also be awarded if you contract a sexually transmitted disease, become pregnant or lose a pregnancy due to the criminal incident.
What Other Compensation Could I Claim For?
You can also claim for certain costs directly caused by the incident. They are called special expenses and must be necessary, reasonable, and not available for free from elsewhere.
Examples could include:
- Equipment damaged in the incident if you relied upon it before as a physical aid, i.e. walking sticks, glasses, or hearing aids.
- Equipment you now rely on because of the incident, i.e. ramps, stairlifts, or kitchen equipment.
- Care costs relating to your cooking and bodily functions.
Furthermore, you could also claim compensation for any lost earnings the incident has caused you to suffer. However, certain eligibility requirements will need to be met.
Get in touch with our advisors to see whether you may be eligible to claim domestic abuse compensation through the CICA.
How Long Do Domestic Abuse Claims Take?
The CICA aims to assess applications within 12 months, although they cannot guarantee any particular timeline.
Complex cases may take longer to ensure final payments reflect the severity and long-term impact of your injuries. For this reason, they may only make a decision once your medical treatment is finished or your prognosis is clear.
Contact our advisory team today to discuss your case and receive free advice on what steps you could take to begin your claim.
Can I Claim For Criminal Injuries On A No Win No Fee Basis?
One of the experienced solicitors on our panel could help you with making a domestic abuse compensation claim through the CICA. Some of the services they could provide you with include:
- Ensure your claim is started before the time limit runs out.
- Guide you through every step with absolute discretion and sensitivity.
- Coordinate with medical experts and care providers to gather evidence on your behalf.
- Apply decades of expertise to seek the most compensation possible.
Furthermore, our panel can take on claims under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement. This means that you will not need to pay them any service fees upfront, as the claim is ongoing or if it fails.
Should the claim succeed, you will pay them a small percentage of your compensation as their success fee. The law limits the maximum percentage this can be.
We understand that you may have questions or even concerns. That’s why our advisors are available anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
- Call us on 0333 000 0729
- Submit an online enquiry.
- Use the Live Chat feature below.
Read More About Claiming For Injuries Caused By Violent Crime
Learn more about the different types of criminal injury claims we could help with:
- How to make a claim for patient abuse in hospital.
- Advice on claiming victim of a murder compensation.
- Learn if you could make a rape victim claim even if no one has been convicted.
Here are some useful pages from the rest of the Internet:
- An overview of 2023 domestic abuse across England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics.
- The Crown Prosecution Service’s Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan.
- About Safe Lives, a UK-based charity campaigning against domestic abuse.
Thank you for reading our guide on domestic abuse compensation.
