If you have been the victim of a violent crime, you may be entitled to compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, usually known as the CICA.
The scheme exists to help people who have suffered physical or psychological injuries as a result of violent crime. Compensation awards range from £1,000 up to £500,000 depending on the severity of the injuries and any other losses.
Because criminal injury claims through the CICA do not involve court proceedings, some people assume they are easy to handle and so decide to apply on their own. While some succeed, others find the procedure more complicated than expected and struggle to find their way around the process.
In some cases, when claimants don’t use a criminal injury solicitor to handle their claim, their lack of experience with CICA claims means they do not recover all the compensation they deserve, or, worse still, their claims get rejected.
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, APIL, has discovered that victims of violent crime may be underpaid by tens of thousands of pounds if they do not challenge the initial decisions made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
There is a right to appeal the initial offer in a CICA case. However, many unrepresented people don’t know how to do this or lack the confidence to try.
APIL’s 2026 analysis found that, in cases which went to appeal in 2024/25, the average initial offer was £7,710, but this rose to £55,800 on appeal – a striking difference.
This shows how much difference it can make to have an experienced criminal injury compensation solicitor on your side, both when it comes to making sure your claim succeeds and in terms of the amount of compensation you receive.
What is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICA) is a government-funded scheme which compensates the victims of violent crime according to a fixed tariff.
The scheme differs from bringing personal injury claims for compensation in several key respects.
Notably, you do not sue the person who committed the crime. Instead, you apply to the CICA directly, and if it accepts your claim as being valid, the government, not the perpetrator, will pay any compensation found to be due to you.
When can you use the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?
To be eligible for compensation under the CICA, you must satisfy several criteria, including:
You were the victim of a violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales
The scheme sets out a list of crimes covered by the scheme. It is fairly broad, and includes physical attacks, sexual assaults, and arson.
The scheme allows claims by people who were not direct victims, but who were injured while taking an exceptional but justifiable risk while trying to prevent a crime.
You may also be able to claim if you sustained a psychological injury after witnessing a loved one sustaining a criminal injury or because you were involved in the immediate aftermath.
Your injury is covered by the scheme
Your injury must be covered by the scheme. The injuries are listed in Annex E of the scheme document, and include burns, scarring, and brain damage.
You reported the crime to the police
The scheme will not pay out unless the incident was reported to the police as soon as practicable after it took place. While the attacker’s conviction is not vital to securing compensation, you must cooperate with the police in their attempts to bring those responsible for the crime to face justice.
There are also rules regarding an applicant’s residency, nationality, conduct, and criminal convictions that can reduce or entirely prevent an award being made.
If you call us here at Mooneerams, one of our experienced CICA solicitors will review the circumstances of your case and advise on the merits of any claim you bring. Call us on 029 2199 1927 to discuss.
How much compensation can you get through the CICA?
The scheme may compensate you for:
- Mental or physical injury following a violent crime.
- Sexual or physical abuse.
- Loss of earnings where your injury has prevented you from working.
- Any expenses you incurred as a result of a violent crime, provided you have been unable to work for more than 28 weeks.
- A loved one’s fatality caused by a violent crime, including funeral expenses, bereavement payments, and an amount for loss of parental services and financial dependency.
CICA pays compensation based on a fixed tariff system; there is no room for negotiation. Compensation awards range from a minimum of £1,000 to an absolute maximum of £500,000.
Do I need a solicitor for a criminal injuries compensation claim?
There are many reasons to seek legal advice for criminal injuries compensation claims. They include:
A solicitor knows how to complete the application form effectively
The CICA claims process differs significantly from personal injury litigation. There is no pre-action protocol to follow, no formal claim to draft, and no court hearings to attend.
Instead, a claim is issued online through the government website. However, and crucially, this does not mean that the process is straightforward.
The application form asks detailed questions about the crime, your injuries, whether and when you reported it to the police, your medical history, and your personal background.
If there are inconsistencies between your answers and the information the CICA obtains from the police or your GP, it can lead to delays or even rejection of your claim.
Experienced CICA claims solicitors understand how to complete the application form effectively and in a way that presents their client’s case in the best possible way.
A solicitor can help gather the right medical evidence for your claim
Medical evidence plays an integral role in CICA claims. Claims handlers are not medically qualified, so they rely entirely on the evidence of medical experts to help them determine where the injuries in question sit on the tariff.
Without clear supporting evidence, awards can be significantly reduced. Experienced solicitors ensure that the correct medical records and expert reports are obtained, and they understand how to describe injuries, both physical and psychological, so they fall in line with the scheme’s tariff bands.
A solicitor can check whether you are claiming everything available
While the CICA tariff is fixed for injuries, compensation awards may include loss of earnings and other losses. Unrepresented applicants often undervalue these elements, fail to evidence them properly, or overlook them entirely.
Experienced solicitors will assess every possible type of loss you are entitled to claim and help you claim the compensation available under the scheme.
Experienced solicitors know how to deal with CICA reviews and appeals
The CICA does not always get it right first time. Sometimes, it makes an initial decision that undervalues or leads them to reject a valid claim.
When that happens, you can ask the CICA to review the matter, and if you still disagree with its decision, appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Criminal Injuries Compensation). You cannot appeal simply because you are unhappy with the outcome; you must show that the CICA misapplied the law in some way or misunderstood your case.
The Tribunal will make an initial decision on whether your appeal has any merit. If it does not, the Tribunal can dismiss it without further consideration. If the Tribunal considers that your position is arguable, your case will proceed to a hearing.
Hearings can take place in person, via video conference, or by phone, typically between 6 and 12 months after an appeal is lodged.
At the hearing, you and a CICA representative will give your evidence, which the tribunal will consider before making a decision. The appeals stage is where the most significant increases in compensation awards tend to happen.
Using a solicitor to prepare for a hearing and attending with legal representation can make a significant difference to the outcome.
No Win No Fee CICA claims
At Mooneerams, we usually handle CICA claims under a Contingency Fee Agreement, a type of No Win No Fee agreement.
This means you will face no upfront legal fees. We only recover fees if your claim is successful, and those fees will be an agreed percentage of the compensation you are awarded.
We will explain our No Win, No Fee arrangement to you and agree the percentage with you before your claim starts.
CICA claims are subject to time limits for starting your claim, normally 2 years from the date of the incident, although there are cases where exceptional circumstances may see the time limit extended. It’s sensible to make your application as soon as possible.
If you are unsure whether you can claim or have been made an offer by the CICA which you think has been undervalued, you can talk things through with one of our team members.
Call Mooneerams on 029 2199 1927 for an obligation free discussion about your CICA claim.
Posted in Criminal Injuries Claim
