The CICA is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; the organisation which processes applications for compensation made through the government funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
The time limit to make claims under the scheme is 2 years; however, it is not always clear when this 2 year period starts.
For a crime such as a physical assault, it is expected that the crime would be reported to the police as soon as reasonably possible, or at least within 48 hours. You then have 2 years from the date of the crime to make a claim to the CICA.
For crimes involving sexual assault the CICA are more lenient over how quickly the crime is reported to the police. You then have 2 years from the date the crime was reported to the police to make a claim.
When making claims for crimes involving a period of abuse (sexual or physical abuse) the 2 year time limit also starts from the date the crimes are reported to the police.
What if the crime happened when I was a child?
If the crime(s) took place during childhood and were reported to the police during childhood, you have 2 years from turning 18 to make a claim to the CICA. We recommend you make the claim before your 20th birthday.
If the crime(s) took place during childhood but were not reported to the police until after you were an adult, you still have 2 years from the date of making the police report to make a claim to the CICA.
What are exceptional circumstances?
The CICA will accept applications made out of time under exceptional circumstances. They do not accept a lack of knowledge of the scheme as a reason for making a claim late. An exceptional circumstance could be a situation where the police tell you not to make a CICA claim until after the trial. You would need confirmation of this in writing from the police.
An exceptional circumstance the CICA often accept as a reason for not being able to claim sooner is mental health. You would need a letter from you doctor or mental health professional or copies of your medical records to evidence this.
If you are unsure of the time limit, or whether you would meet the CICA exceptional circumstances criteria please call one of the CICA team at Winston Solicitors on 0113 320 5000 or email cica@winstonsolicitors.co.uk
