The Office for National Statistics published that in the year ending March 2024, as reported by the Crime Survey for England and Wales, an estimated 2.3 million of all people aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse. The police also recorded 851,062 incidents of domestic abuse-related crimes. If you have been injured due to domestic abuse, you may be wondering whether you are entitled to compensation.
Our guide explores how much compensation for domestic abuse that claimants could be eligible for when claiming through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA); we will also discuss the process of making a claim for criminal injuries. At How Much Compensation, we understand that navigating a compensation claim can be overwhelming, which is why the solicitors on our panel are committed to providing support and guidance throughout every stage.
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Jump To A Section
- How Much Compensation For Domestic Abuse Could I Be Awarded?
- What Could Domestic Violence Compensation Help Me With?
- The Types Of Domestic Violence And Abuse Covered In The CICA
- Can I Make A CICA Domestic Abuse Claim?
- What Is The Process When Making A CICA Claim?
- Why Seeking Legal Advice Will Help When Claiming For Domestic Violence?
- Can I Get Help From A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
- Learn More
How Much Compensation For Domestic Abuse Could I Be Awarded?
When starting your claim, an important question could be ‘How much compensation for domestic abuse could I receive when claiming through the CICA?’. To answer this, we need to examine how compensation is calculated.
Any injuries you have suffered would be valued in accordance with the fixed tariff listed within the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. The CICA also use this Scheme to assess who has eligible claims.
Additionally, an important point of note when making a claim through the CICA is that you could receive compensation for up to 3 criminal injuries. Under the multiple injuries formula, you could receive:
- 100% of the full tariff for the most serious injury
- 30% of the full tariff where there is an equal or second-highest valued injury
- 15% of the full tariff of the lowest value injury
Our table below shows suggestive payouts for injuries sustained as a result of domestic violence. These figures have been taken from the CICA tariff, but please be aware that the first entry is the maximum amount that the CICA will pay for any claim.
| Injury Type | Severity of Injury | Additional Notes | Tariff Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Criminal Injuries + Special Expenses | Severe | Claimants can receive compensation for up to 3 injuries (where the multiple injury formula will apply) plus special expenses such as loss of earnings or costs of mobility aids. | Up to £500,000 |
| Major Paralysis | Paraplegia - Substantially Complete | Motor and sensory functions will be massively impacted | £175,000 |
| Brain Damage | Moderate Brain Damage - Significant | Intellectual deficits, a reduced ability to work and the senses will have been impacted | £82,000 |
| Mental Injury | Permanent - Seriously Disabling | Confirmed diagnosis of an ongoing permanent disabling injury | £27,000 |
| Ankle | Fractured/Dislocated - Both Ankles | Claimants will suffer a continuing disability as the result of both ankles being dislocated or fractured | £16,500 |
| Face | Multiple Fractures | Includes Le Fort fractures types 2 & 3 | £11,000 |
| Heel | Fracture - both feet | Resulting in a continuing and significant disability | £13,500 |
| Radius (forearm bone) | Fractures - Continuing Significant Disability | Where both radius bones have been broken, resulting in disability | £11,000 |
| Burns to Upper Limbs | Severe | Where claimants experience burns to their upper limbs namely their arms | £11,000 |
| Back | Ruptured Invertebral Discs - Permanently and Seriously disabling | Cases where surgical removal is required to provide alleviation to the ruptured discs | £11,000 |
To see whether you may be eligible to claim compensation through the CICA, you can contact our advisors.
What Could Domestic Violence Compensation Help Me With?
Domestic violence compensation could help you gain a sense of justice after being injured in a violent crime.
In addition, your compensation may also include special expenses. These are costs which you might’ve incurred as a result of your criminal injuries. Special expenses could include:
- Home or vehicular adaptations, such as ramps, stairlifts or handrails.
- Specialist equipment such as wheelchairs or walking aids.
- Any costs of care related to your bodily functions or meal preparation. This might include mobility-friendly toilets or continence management equipment.
- Any equipment that was damaged in the incident that you relied on as a physical aid, such as your glasses.
All of these costs must have been necessary, directly related to your injury and reasonable. You can not obtain them for free elsewhere either.
You may also be able to claim compensation for any loss of earnings you experienced, provided you meet the eligibility requirements.
By working with a solicitor from our panel, you can focus on your recovery whilst your claim is handled by experts with decades of experience. Contact us today to learn more about what your compensation could cover.
The Types Of Domestic Violence And Abuse Covered In The CICA
As we briefly explore below, Annexe B of the CICA Scheme outlines that claims can be made so long as you have been a victim of a crime of violence, which can extend to criminal injuries sustained as a result of:
In order to claim any of these types of abuse, it must be shown that you have suffered either physical or psychological damage. This could encompass physical injuries such as scarring, broken bones such as a broken arm or leg, or bruising and lacerations, but can also include anxiety, depression or even post-traumatic stress disorder.
If you’d like to learn whether you could make a claim through the CICA, please get in touch with us today. Our advisors can verify the validity of your claim completely free of charge and provide free advice. If your claim is valid, they can connect you with one of our specialised solicitors on our panel who could guide you through making a CICA claim.
Can I Make A CICA Domestic Abuse Claim?
You could make a CICA domestic abuse claim if your case meets the eligibility criteria.
- Firstly, you must’ve been injured in a crime of violence. Annexe B of the CICA clarifies that assault, arson and sexual abuse are all considered crimes of violence.
- Additionally, this criminal injury must have occurred in England, Wales, Scotland or a vessel registered in one of these countries. This could be a boat, a car or another relevant vessel.
- Finally, the incident must have been reported to the police.
If your case fulfils these criteria, you might have the basis to make a domestic violence claim through the CICA.
To learn more about claiming for domestic violence, contact our advisors today. They are available to answer any questions you may have and provide support and guidance.
Do I Need To Report My Abuse To The Police To Have A Valid Claim?
Yes, you must have reported the incident or incidents of abuse to the police. It is explicitly stated that a payment cannot be made unless the incident has been reported to the police as soon as is reasonably practicable. If there has been any delay in the reporting, you may need to explain this to the CICA.
If the report has been delayed, the CICA will consider:
- Your mental capacity, well-being and age at the time of the incident
- If the impact of the incident was so significant that you couldn’t have reported the incident earlier
For those making claims through the CICA, even if the abuse has been reported elsewhere, such as work or a GP, you must also have reported this to the police. If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What Is The Process When Making A CICA Claim?
When making a claim through the CICA, you need to provide them with the following evidence:
- A police crime reference number, provided to you after initially filing a police report
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements
- Payslips to demonstrate financial losses, or any invoices for home adaptations
- Medical evidence, including your GP record, to prove your injuries.
The CICA will also be able to liaise directly with the police for any additional information they may need.
Is My CICA Claim Subject To A Time Limit?
Additionally, your CICA claim must be started within the permitted time limits. Generally, most domestic abuse claims through the CICA must be started within 2 years. This time limit runs from the date of the incident. Despite this, if it can be shown that exceptional circumstances prevented you from bringing a claim earlier, the time limit could potentially be extended. However, the CICA assesses all claims on their own merits.
Where a claim may involve children, different time limits apply:
- Where the claimant was under 18 when the incident occurred and the crime was reported to the police, they would have 2 years from the date of their 18th birthday to start a claim.
- If the claimant was under 18 at the time and no report was filed prior to their 18th birthday, the 2-year time limit would then run from the date of the police report. It is essential to demonstrate that a police report was not filed earlier due to exceptional circumstances.
To determine whether your claim is still within the limitation period, please contact our advisors today. They can assist you with this and answer any queries you might have, such as ‘How much compensation for domestic abuse could I claim?’.
Why Seeking Legal Advice Will Help When Claiming For Domestic Violence?
By instructing a solicitor from our panel, you can rest assured that you would be guided through your CICA claim with support at every stage. It isn’t imperative that you work with a solicitor, but it could be beneficial.
You are able to apply to the CICA directly to make your claim, but without extensive legal knowledge of the scheme, claimants may face confusion and difficulties understanding the jargon or the process itself.
By choosing to work with one of our solicitors from our panel, you could expect:
- Support through every step of your claim process
- Help with gathering the required CICA evidence
- Working closely with you to develop a recovery plan that suits your needs
- Explaining the CICA claim process and any legal terminology you might be unfamiliar with
- Ensuring your CICA claim is brought within the limitation period
This isn’t all that a solicitor from our panel could help you with; get in touch with an advisor today to explore how else we could assist you.
Can I Get Help From A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
Yes, if your claim meets the eligibility criteria, you can work with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. At How Much Compensation, our panel of expert solicitors work via a Conditional Fee Agreement.
This has advantageous terms for claimants because it means you would have no upfront payments for a solicitor to begin working on your case. It also means that you’d have no payments to pay for their services as they continue working on your claim. Furthermore, if your claim were to fail, then no payment would be required for the solicitors’ complete services.
If, however, your claim was successful, then a small percentage (known as a success fee) would be taken from your compensation by your solicitor. This amount is limited in accordance with the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 to ensure that claimants receive the majority of their compensation.
If you have any questions about working with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel, then please contact our advisors using the contact details below.
Contact Our Advisors
You can reach our friendly advisors by:
- Calling us on 0800 408 7826
- Filling out our contact us form
- Using our live chat
Learn More
Why not read our other guides about:
- Facial scar claims
- Learn when you could make a dog bite claim.
- Guidance on shoulder and neck injury claims.
Helpful External Resources:
- Guidance from GOV.UK on domestic violence
- Help from the NHS about dealing with domestic abuse
- Statistics from GOV.UK on resolved CICA claims
Thank you for reading our guide on how much compensation for domestic abuse.
