The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is a government-funded scheme designed to compensate victims of violent crime in Great Britain.

The scheme is run by a government agency called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

You may be able to claim compensation if you have experienced a violent crime and:

• you were injured
• a close family member died
• you were present when a crime happened to a loved one (or were there immediately afterwards)
• you experienced a sexual assault
• you experienced physical abuse
• you paid for the funeral of a person who died as a result of violent crime
• you were injured taking an exceptional and justified risk in order to stop a crime.

Not all injuries qualify for a compensation payment, called an ‘award’. The list of those that do qualify is set by the government.

If the injury you’ve experienced does not qualify for an award this does not mean you’re not believed, or that the crime did not have a serious impact on you.

The scheme can only provide compensation for certain types of injuries that appear on the fixed list (called the ‘tariff of injuries’). The CICA must apply these criteria consistently to every application. Your experience may fall outside these rules even though the effects of your injury, or injuries, are real and significant.

Alongside payments for the injury itself, the CICA may sometimes make awards for the loss of earnings the injury has caused. In some cases, other expenses may be reimbursed such as physical aids, adaptations to your home, or care costs.

The CICA can also make awards if you’ve been affected by a terrorism incident. This includes terrorist incidents in the UK and abroad.

You can find out more about the compensation scheme – and if you may be eligible to apply – on the GOV.UK website.