Last Updated: 3 September 2026 I Reading Time: 5 minutes
Summary
GLP Solicitors is proud to announce that Consultant Neil Sugarman has authored a new legal textbook, Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Practitioner’s Guide, published by LexisNexis and due for release on 15 September 2026.
The book is a comprehensive, practical resource for solicitors, barristers and other professionals who represent victims of violent crime under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. It walks readers through every stage of a claim, from the initial application to appeals before the First-tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal and the higher courts.
It is the first authoritative textbook on this specialist area of law to be published since 2016, making it a significant and timely addition for anyone working in criminal injuries compensation.
Quick answer
Neil Sugarman, Consultant at GLP Solicitors and former APIL President, has written Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Practitioner’s Guide, published by LexisNexis on 15 September 2026. It’s a practical, authoritative resource covering the full claims and appeals process under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, the first major textbook on the subject since 2016.
Key takeaways
- Neil Sugarman, Consultant at GLP Solicitors, has written a new practitioner’s guide to Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA) claims, published by LexisNexis on 15 September 2026.
- The book is published by LexisNexis and titled Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Practitioner’s Guide.
- It’s the first authoritative textbook on this area of law since 2016.
- It covers the entire claims journey: application, CICA decisions, First-tier Tribunal appeals, Upper Tribunal appeals and the higher courts.
- The guide combines legal analysis with practical, evidence-based advice for maximising the prospects of a successful claim.
- It’s aimed at personal injury lawyers and representatives who handle CICA applications regularly or only occasionally.
- The publication reinforces GLP Solicitors’ long-standing expertise in criminal injuries compensation claims and campaigning for reform of the Scheme.
Who is Neil Sugarman?
Neil Sugarman is a Consultant at GLP Solicitors and a former President of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). He has long been a prominent voice on Criminal Injuries Compensation, campaigning publicly for reform of a Scheme whose tariff has remained largely unchanged for decades. His commentary on the subject has featured in national and regional press, including the Manchester Evening
What does the book cover?
Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Practitioner’s Guide is designed to take a reader through the full lifecycle of a CICA claim, including:
- Making an application — the legal framework and evidential requirements under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012
- The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) — how initial decisions are made and reviewed
- Appealing a decision — proceedings before the First-tier Tribunal and, where necessary, the Upper Tribunal
- The higher courts — the key authorities and case law shaping how the Scheme is interpreted
- The history and operation of the Scheme, including the role of policy guidance in tribunal practice
The book blends detailed legal analysis with pragmatic strategies for building a strong claim, making it useful both for lawyers who handle CICA work day-to-day and those who encounter it only occasionally.
Why this book matters now
Criminal injuries compensation is a specialist and often complex area of law. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (as amended and applying since 13 June 2019) doesn’t set a fixed time limit for CICA to reach a decision, and most applications currently can take up to 12 months and often substantially longer to resolve. Successfully navigating the process, particularly at appeal stage, often depends on a detailed understanding of policy guidance, tribunal practice and case law that isn’t always straightforward to piece together.
Until now, the last dedicated textbook on this subject was published in 2016. In the years since, guidance, tribunal practice and case law have continued to develop, meaning practitioners have had limited up-to-date, dedicated reference material to turn to. Neil’s book fills that gap, offering a modern, practical resource built specifically around how CICA claims and appeals actually work today.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a practical legal textbook by Neil Sugarman, published by LexisNexis, covering how to make and challenge applications under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, from initial application through to appeals in the tribunals and higher courts.
It’s written for solicitors, barristers and other professionals who represent victims of violent crime, whether they handle CICA claims regularly or only occasionally.
Neil Sugarman is a Consultant at GLP Solicitors and a former President of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), known for his expertise in and campaigning on Criminal Injuries Compensation.
The previous authoritative legal textbook on Criminal Injuries Compensation was published in 2016, making Neil’s new guide the first major update to the literature in this area in around a decade.
It’s the government-funded scheme, administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), that compensates victims of violent crime in Great Britain. The current version of the Scheme has applied since 2012, amended in 2019.
You may be eligible to claim under the Scheme if you were a blameless victim of a violent crime and meet its eligibility criteria. A specialist solicitor can assess your situation and advise whether you qualify.
You may be able to appeal the decision, first through CICA’s internal review process and then, if necessary, to the First-tier Tribunal. Getting specialist legal advice early can significantly improve your chances of a successful appeal.