Last Updated: 19 August 2026 I Reading Time: Approx. 6 minutes
Summary
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS) is a government-funded scheme that can provide compensation to eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain. It is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
Compensation may be available for qualifying physical or mental injuries, sexual or physical abuse, certain loss of earnings and special expenses. There are also provisions for bereavement and funeral payments where someone dies as a result of a violent crime.
The scheme remains an important source of financial support for victims, but strict eligibility requirements and time limits apply. The latest CICA figures also show that demand for the scheme continues to rise, with more than 47,000 new claims received during 2025–26.
Quick answer
Yes. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme can provide financial compensation to eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain. It can cover certain physical and mental injuries, sexual or physical abuse, loss of earnings, special expenses and payments following a fatality. Applications should normally be made within two years, although different rules and exceptions can apply. Eligibility depends on the circumstances of the incident and the requirements of the Scheme.
In this article
- What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?
- Who can claim criminal injury compensation?
- What can CICA compensation cover?
- How much compensation could you receive?
- What are the CICA time limits?
- Do you have to report the crime to the police?
- Why are CICA claims increasing?
- How GLP Solicitors can help
- Frequently asked questions Related services
Key takeaways
- The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is a government-funded scheme for eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain.
- CICA administers the Scheme and assesses applications.
- Compensation can be available for qualifying physical and mental injuries, as well as sexual and physical abuse.
- Depending on eligibility, additional payments may be available for loss of earnings, special expenses, bereavement and funeral costs.
- Adults should normally apply within two years of the incident, although exceptions and different rules can apply.
- You do not have to wait for a criminal conviction before applying.
- The Scheme is intended to be a last resort, meaning other sources of compensation may need to be considered.
- CICA received more than 47,000 new claims in 2025–26, the highest number since the current 2012 Scheme was introduce
What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS) is a government-funded scheme designed to compensate eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain.
The Scheme is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). CICA assesses applications and decides whether an applicant is eligible and, if so, the amount of compensation that should be awarded.
The current framework is based on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, as amended. The Government’s published Scheme was most recently updated on 1 May 2026.
The Scheme is different from bringing a personal injury claim through the civil courts. It is a statutory compensation scheme with its own rules, eligibility requirements and tariff of injuries.
Read the Government’s Criminal Injuries Compensation guidance
Is the scheme available across the UK?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme applies to England, Scotland and Wales.
Northern Ireland has separate arrangements, so people affected by a violent crime there should check the relevant Northern Ireland scheme and guidance.
Who can claim criminal injury compensation?
You may be able to claim if you have suffered a qualifying injury as a result of a crime of violence and meet the Scheme’s other requirements.
The Scheme can cover more than physical injuries. CICA may consider claims involving:
- Physical injuries
- Mental or psychological injuries
- Sexual assault
- Physical abuse
- Certain injuries resulting from domestic abuse
- Injuries suffered while taking certain exceptional and justified risks
- Certain cases involving witnesses to violent incidents or their immediate aftermath
However, not every victim of a crime will automatically qualify for compensation.
Your circumstances, the nature of the incident, the injury suffered, your conduct and cooperation with the authorities, and other eligibility requirements can all be relevant.
The injury must also be one recognised by the Scheme’s tariff of injuries.
What can CICA compensation cover?
One of the most important things to understand is that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is not simply a payment for physical injuries.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation can include several different types of award.
Compensation for physical and mental injuries
CICA can consider claims for qualifying physical or mental injuries resulting from a crime of violence.
The amount of compensation depends on the injury and its severity. The Scheme contains a tariff setting out prescribed amounts for qualifying injuries.
The tariff was published in an accessible format in September 2025 and includes categories covering physical and mental injuries, sexual assault, physical abuse, bereavement and other payments.
Compensation following sexual assault or abuse
The Scheme contains specific provisions for sexual assault and sexual or physical abuse.
This means that victims of sexual offences may potentially be eligible for compensation even where their circumstances do not involve the type of physical injury people might traditionally associate with a criminal injury claim.
There are specific rules about mental injuries resulting from sexual assault, including circumstances where CICA will make an award for either the mental injury or the sexual assault, rather than both.
Loss of earnings
You may also be able to claim for loss of earnings if your qualifying criminal injury has left you unable to work or with a very limited capacity to undertake paid employment.
There are specific requirements for these payments. For example, the injury must be sufficiently serious and the inability to work must be directly related to the criminal injury.
Special expenses
Certain special expenses may also be recoverable.
These can include specific costs directly resulting from a qualifying injury, such as certain costs relating to treatment or physical aids.
However, special expenses are subject to additional conditions. In general, the criminal injury must have resulted in a significant loss of earnings or earning capacity, or a similar level of incapacity, for more than 28 weeks.
Bereavement and funeral payments
The Scheme can also provide payments where a person has died as a result of a crime of violence.
Depending on the circumstances, these may include:
- Bereavement payments
- Payments relating to financial dependency
- Loss of parental services
- Funeral payments
The precise eligibility requirements depend on the Scheme and the circumstances of the death.
How much compensation could you receive?
There is no single standard amount of criminal injury compensation.
CICA uses the Scheme’s tariff to assess qualifying injuries. The amount depends on the nature and severity of the injury and the relevant provisions of the Scheme.
For example, the current tariff contains prescribed payments for different injuries and circumstances. If someone has multiple qualifying injuries, CICA does not simply add the full tariff amount for every injury. The Scheme applies a multiple-injury formula based on the most serious injuries.
Additional payments may also be available in specific circumstances, including pregnancy, loss of a foetus or certain sexually transmitted infections resulting from a violent crime.
This is why it is important not to rely on a generic online compensation calculator when assessing a potential CICA claim. The Scheme’s rules and tariff need to be considered together.
What are the time limits for a CICA claim?
Time limits are one of the most important aspects of a criminal injury compensation claim.
If you were an adult when the incident occurred, you should normally apply as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than two years after the incident.
There are circumstances in which different rules or exceptions may apply, including cases involving children and certain circumstances where an application could not reasonably have been made within the usual time limit.
For this reason, you should not assume that you have missed your opportunity to claim simply because more than two years have passed. Your circumstances need to be considered against the Scheme’s specific rules.
Do I need to wait until the criminal case is finished?
No.
You should not generally wait for the outcome of a criminal trial before making a CICA application. A claim is not dependent on the offender being convicted.
CICA may, however, put an application on hold where it needs further information about the criminal proceedings before it can make a decision.
Do I have to report the crime to the police?
Reporting the incident to the police is an important part of the Scheme’s requirements.
Applicants are generally expected to cooperate with the police and assist, as far as reasonably practicable, in bringing the assailant to justice.
However, the circumstances of every case are different. Issues such as the applicant’s age, capacity and wellbeing can be relevant when CICA considers whether someone has complied with the Scheme.
If you are worried that something about your circumstances could prevent you from claiming, it is worth getting advice rather than assuming that you are automatically ineligible.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is a scheme of last resort
Another important point is that CICA compensation is intended to be a last resort.
Where you have another opportunity to recover compensation, the Scheme expects you to take reasonable steps to pursue it.
This can include compensation available through:
- A civil personal injury claim
- An insurance policy
- Damages awarded by a court
- Compensation ordered during criminal proceedings
- Certain other sources of compensation
CICA may reduce or withhold an award where compensation for the same injury has been received or is available from another source.
This does not mean you should simply ignore a potential CICA claim while considering another route. The Government specifically advises applicants to make their CICA application as soon as possible even where another claim is being pursued.
Why are more people making CICA claims?
The latest CICA Annual Report and Accounts, published in July 2026, highlights a significant increase in demand.
During 2025–26, CICA received more than 47,000 new claims. This was:
- The fifth consecutive year in which applications increased
- More than 10% higher than 2024–25
- The highest number of applications in any year since the current 2012 Scheme was introduced
CICA stated that the increase reflects growing awareness of the Scheme among victims of violent crime, although the increased demand has also put pressure on the organisation’s ability to meet its timeliness targets.
This is an important development for anyone considering a claim. The Scheme remains available, but CICA’s latest annual report acknowledges unprecedented demand and delays in meeting its timeliness target.
How GLP Solicitors Can Help
Making a criminal injury compensation claim can be difficult, particularly when you are already dealing with the consequences of a violent crime.
At GLP Solicitors, our specialist Criminal Injury Compensation team can help you understand whether you may have a potential claim under the Scheme.
We can advise you about matters such as:
- Whether your injury may fall within the Scheme’s tariff
- The eligibility requirements that may apply
- Evidence that could support your claim
- CICA time limits
- Loss of earnings and special expenses
- The impact of other compensation or claims
- What to do if you disagree with a CICA decision
It is important to understand that CICA does not pay legal fees for paid representatives. The Government’s guidance confirms that applicants do not need a solicitor and that, if they choose paid representation, those costs are generally their responsibility.
If you choose to instruct a solicitor, you should therefore make sure you understand the firm’s funding arrangement and any potential costs before proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is a government-funded scheme for eligible victims of violent crime in Great Britain. It is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Compensation can be available for qualifying physical and mental injuries, sexual or physical abuse, certain loss of earnings and special expenses. There are also provisions for bereavement and funeral payments following a fatality caused by a crime of violence. The Scheme has strict eligibility requirements and uses a tariff to determine payments for qualifying injuries.
Eligibility depends on the circumstances of the crime, the injury suffered and whether the applicant meets the requirements of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. You may potentially qualify if you have suffered a qualifying physical or mental injury as a result of a crime of violence. There are also specific provisions covering sexual and physical abuse and certain other circumstances. The fact that you were a victim of a crime does not automatically mean that CICA will make an award, so your circumstances should be assessed against the Scheme’s requirements.
If you were an adult when the incident happened, you should normally apply within two years of the incident and as soon as reasonably practicable. However, different rules can apply to people who were under 18 and there can be exceptions in certain circumstances. If more than two years have passed, do not automatically assume that you cannot claim. The circumstances surrounding the delay may be relevant. CICA’s guidance should be considered carefully before deciding that a claim is out of time.
No. A criminal conviction is not a requirement for making a CICA claim. You should not generally wait for a criminal trial to finish before applying. However, CICA may put an application on hold if it needs further information about the criminal proceedings before it can decide the claim. Applicants are also expected to cooperate with the police, as far as reasonably practicable, in bringing the offender to justice.
Potentially, yes. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme can cover qualifying mental or psychological injuries resulting from a crime of violence. There are specific rules about the types of mental injury that can qualify and the evidence required. The Scheme also contains specific provisions for mental injuries following sexual assault. Whether compensation is available depends on the individual circumstances and the applicable tariff and eligibility requirements.
Potentially. The Scheme allows for loss of earnings payments where a qualifying criminal injury has left you unable to work or with a very limited capacity to undertake paid employment. There are specific requirements, including conditions concerning the severity of the injury and the resulting inability to work. CICA will need evidence to assess the claim. Loss of earnings is therefore not automatically payable simply because you had to take time away from work following an incident.
Yes. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is intended to operate as a scheme of last resort. If compensation may be available from another source, such as a civil claim, insurance or a court award, you may be expected to pursue that route. CICA can take other compensation into account when assessing an award. However, the Government advises applicants to make their CICA application as soon as possible rather than waiting for another claim to conclude.
No, you do not have to use a solicitor. You can apply directly to CICA. However, some claims can involve complex questions about eligibility, injury tariffs, evidence, loss of earnings, special expenses or other sources of compensation. If you choose paid legal representation, CICA states that it does not meet those costs, so you should understand the funding arrangement and any fees before instructing a representative.
Related Services
If you have been affected by a violent crime, other GLP Solicitors services may also be relevant depending on your circumstances: