Who Can Claim for Church of England Redress Scheme Compensation?

If you're reading this page, you may be asking yourself one simple question “Can I claim Church of England Redress Scheme compensation?”

Many people are unsure. You might not know whether the person who abused you counts as being part of the Church. You may not know whether what happened fits the scheme, or whether too much time has passed.

If you’re wondering who can claim for Church of England Redress Scheme compensation, then the good news is that the rules are wider than many people expect. In simple terms, you can usually apply if:

• the person who abused you held a role within the Church of England, or you reasonably believed they did, and
• their role gave them the opportunity or authority that allowed the abuse to happen.

You do not need the person to have been a priest. There is also no need for a criminal conviction, or for the abuse to have been reported to the police.

If you are unsure whether your situation fits the rules, that is completely normal. Many survivors are uncertain when they first look at the scheme.

If you would rather understand things a little more privately, before speaking to anyone, you can use our Church of England Redress Scheme compensation calculator. It asks for no contact details, stores nothing, and runs entirely in your browser.

Where eligibility to claim for Church of England Redress Scheme compensation comes from in the rules

“An application for redress under this Measure may be made by a person who suffered injury or loss in consequence of suffering abuse if each of the following conditions was met.” (Section 3(1), Abuse Redress Measure.)

In plain words: you can apply if you were harmed by abuse and the two conditions below are both met.

The law sets out two conditions for the Church of England Redress Scheme. Both of these conditions have to be met in order for you to make a claim for Church of England Redress Scheme compensation.

They sound quite legal, but they are actually straightforward when translated into language that non-lawyers can understand.

Did the person who abused you have a Church role?

The first question is whether the person who abused you had authority to carry out a role within the Church of England. That includes far more people than most survivors realise.

It also does not matter if you later discovered they were not officially appointed. If you had good reason to believe they held that role at the time, that can still satisfy this part of the test.

Where condition one comes from in the rules

“The first condition is met if, when the abuse was carried out: (a) the person who carried out the abuse had authority to perform a role in the Church of England, or (b) the person who suffered the abuse had reasonable grounds to believe that the person who carried out the abuse had that authority.” (Section 3(2), Abuse Redress Measure.)

In plain words: the abuser either had a Church role, or you had good reason to think they did.

Secondly, did that role make the abuse possible?

The second question is about the connection between the person's Church role and what happened.

In simple terms, the scheme asks whether their position in the church gave them the opportunity, access or authority that allowed your abuse to take place.

If the answer is yes, this condition is likely to be met.

Where condition two comes from in the rules

“The second condition is met if there was a close connection between activities authorised for performing that role and carrying out the abuse.” (Section 3(3), Abuse Redress Measure.)

In plain words: the abuse has to be closely tied to what their Church role allowed them to do.

There is one exception to this condition. Sometimes. someone holds both a Church role and another completely separate role, such as working in a school or another organisation.

If the abuse was much more closely connected to that other role than their Church role, the Church of England Redress Scheme may not be the correct route for you.

A specialist solicitor can help work through that with you.

Where the exception comes from in the rules

“But the second condition was not met if, when the abuse was carried out: (a) the person who carried out the abuse also had authority to perform a role outside the Church of England, and (b) the connection between activities authorised for performing that other role and carrying out the abuse was closer than the connection referred to in subsection (3).” (Section 3(4), Abuse Redress Measure.)

In plain words: if the abuse was more closely linked to a non-Church role the person also held, the Church scheme is not the right route.

One thing is worth noting: the law never says the abuse had to happen inside a church, and it does not say that the person had to wear a dog collar.

Rather, it asks one question: Did your abuser’s Church role give them the opportunity to abuse you?

Many people immediately think of priests or bishops when they think of those attached to the church. The Church of England Redress scheme is much wider than that.

A Church role can include someone who was employed or someone who volunteered, provided the Church had given them authority to carry out that role.

Examples include:

• priests, bishops, deacons and chaplains
• licensed lay ministers
• churchwardens and parish officers
• youth workers and Sunday school leaders
• choir directors
• children's workers
• pastoral visitors
• teachers or care staff working in Church of England schools or residential homes
• volunteers trusted with responsibility for children or vulnerable adults.

Whether somebody falls within the rules depends on the facts of your case, but many survivors are surprised by how broad the definition is.

Where the definition of a “Church of England role” comes from in the rules

The category is set by the phrase “authority to perform a role in the Church of England” in Section 3(2)(a) of the Measure. Guidance on who falls inside it may be issued by the Archbishops’ Council under Section 3(8) of the Measure.

In plain words: the law fixes the test, and the Church’s own guidance fills in the detail of which roles count. It also helps to remember that you do not have to prove the person's official status yourself.

If you reasonably believed they held that Church role at the time, that is enough for this part of the eligibility test.

Where this comes from in the rules

“The person who suffered the abuse had reasonable grounds to believe that the person who carried out the abuse had that authority.” (Section 3(2)(b), Abuse Redress Measure.)

In plain words: what you reasonably believed at the time counts, not what a Church record shows now.

This is probably the part of the scheme that causes the most confusion.

A close connection simply means that your abuser’s role in the Church helped to create the circumstances in which the abuse happened. Their position gave them trust, access and authority to you.

Without that role, the abuse might never have happened.

That connection can exist even if the abuse took place somewhere completely different from a church building. For example, the connection might exist if the abuse happened:

• during pastoral visits
• at youth groups
• on Church trips or residential camps
• during choir rehearsals or choir tours
• in Church-run schools
• in Church-run children's homes
• during mentoring or ministry training.

The important question is always the same: Did their Church role give them the opportunity to abuse you?

Where the definitions of Church connections come from in the rules

“The second condition is met if there was a close connection between activities authorised for performing that role and carrying out the abuse.” (Section 3(3), Abuse Redress Measure.) Guidance on the meaning of close connection may be issued by the Archbishops’ Council under Section 3(8).

In plain words: the test is whether the Church role is what created the chance for the abuse to happen.

The place where your church-related abuse happened does not prevent you from applying. It may have happened in England, elsewhere in the UK, or on a trip overseas, as long as it was connected to the Church of England.

Where this comes from in the rules

Section 3(7) of the Measure confirms the abuse can have taken place “in England, elsewhere in the United Kingdom, or in any other place”.

In plain words: the place the abuse happened does not stop you claiming.

Likewise, it does not matter where you live now. You may have moved abroad many years ago and still be able to apply.

The exception we mentioned earlier is narrow. Take a person who was a school teacher in a non-Church school during the week and a churchwarden at weekends, where the abuse took place at the school and had no real connection to the Church role. There, the closer link is to the school role, and the scheme would not be the right route. Most cases do not turn on this, but a specialist scheme practice will check it as a matter of routine.

The scheme covers six categories of abuse. The list is wide, and it includes forms of abuse that civil courts have often been slow to recognise on their own, such as spiritual abuse and psychological abuse. If you are not sure which one fits, that is normal. You do not have to pick the right category when you apply.

Where this comes from in the rules

“‘Abuse’ includes: (a) sexual abuse, (b) physical abuse, (c) spiritual abuse, (d) psychological or emotional abuse other than spiritual abuse, (e) financial abuse, and (f) neglect and maltreatment.” (Section 3(5), Abuse Redress Measure.) Each category is then defined in detail in Rule 2 of the Abuse Redress Rules 2025.

In plain words: these are the six kinds of abuse the scheme recognises, and the Rules spell out exactly what each one means.

The full definition of each category sits on its own page in this cluster. The summary below helps you find the page to read next.

1. Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse under the Church of England Redress Scheme covers a wide range of conduct. It includes the use of coercion or physical force to cause sexual activity without consent, penetration without consent, sexual touching without consent, and exposing a person to pornography or to sexual activity in person.

See sexual abuse claims under the Church of England Redress Scheme for the full Rule 2(2) definition and the issues that typically arise.

2. Physical abuse

Physical abuse under the scheme covers the deliberate infliction of physical pain or injury. That includes hitting, smacking, kicking, slapping, stabbing, or any other means.

See physical abuse claims under the Church of England Redress Scheme for the Rule 2(3) definition and how the scheme assesses physical abuse alongside any psychological harm that followed.

3. Psychological or emotional abuse

Psychological or emotional abuse under the scheme covers a deliberate and systematic pattern of controlling or manipulative behaviour. That includes attempts to frighten, control, or isolate the person who was abused.

See psychological and emotional abuse claims for the Rule 2(4) definition.

4. Spiritual abuse

Spiritual abuse is a form of psychological or emotional abuse carried out in a religious context. It harms the person’s spiritual well-being, or it legitimises or makes possible abuse in another category. The Church of England Redress Scheme is one of the very few statutory schemes in the UK that recognises spiritual abuse as a category in its own right. See spiritual abuse claims for the Rule 2(5) definition.

5. Financial abuse

Financial abuse under the scheme covers conduct that causes direct financial loss to the person who was abused and gives a direct financial benefit to the perpetrator or to someone else.

See financial abuse claims for the Rule 2(7) definition. The Measure itself, at Section 3(6), names theft, fraud, pressure in relation to money or property, and misuse of property as examples.

6. Neglect and maltreatment

Neglect and maltreatment under the scheme means a failure to meet a person’s physical or psychological needs to an extent likely to seriously impair their health or development. This is where the person was in a children’s home or residential school managed by the Church of England at the time.

See neglect and maltreatment claims for the Rule 2(6) definition and how the scheme treats residential-care contexts.

If you are not sure which category applies, or if more than one might apply, that is normal. The redress body assesses the abuse against the definitions. The application captures the facts. That work is not yours to do alone.

You can still apply if the person who was abused has since died, as long as they would have been able to apply themselves. The people who can apply in their place are a surviving partner, a dependent child, or a dependent parent. The person applying must themselves have suffered mental or emotional injury, or money loss, because of the abuse.

Where claiming for Church of England Compensation for a deceased person comes from in the rules

Section 4 of the Measure allows a dependant of a person who has died to apply, where the deceased would have been entitled to apply under Section 3 if still alive. A dependant means the surviving partner, a dependant child, or a dependant parent, who must themselves have suffered mental or emotional injury or economic loss as a consequence of the abuse.

In plain words: close family can apply on behalf of someone who has died, if they were harmed by the abuse too.

The full position on bereaved family claims, including what happens where an applicant dies while their own application is in progress (Section 6 of the Measure), is set out at claiming for a deceased relative.

If the person making the claim for Church of England Redress Scheme compensation is currently under 18, the process is slightly different. The application is not made directly by the young person. Instead, the redress body appoints an appropriate adult, aged 18 or over, to make the claim on their behalf.

Where this comes from in the rules

Section 5 of the Measure sets out the procedure where the applicant is currently under 18: the redress body appoints an appropriate adult, aged 18 or over, to make the application on the young person’s behalf. The procedural detail is in Rule 6 of the Abuse Redress Rules 2025.

In plain words: where the person applying is still a child, an adult applies for them.

This is a separate point from whether the abuse happened when you were under 18. Abuse during childhood, where you are now an adult, falls under the ordinary test. Being under 18 at the time the abuse took place is also a recognised aggravating factor that can raise an award, under Rule 12 of the Rules. The full position on childhood abuse claims is at childhood abuse claims under the scheme.

Stacey leads the Church of England Redress Scheme team at Winston Solicitors, working with survivors from across England and Wales. Winston Solicitors is a specialist scheme practice, fluent in Section 3 of the Measure, Rule 2 of the Rules, and the assessment framework the redress body applies in practice. We are not a general abuse claims firm that has added a scheme page.

Can I claim if the abuse took place decades ago?

Yes. There is no time limit under the Church of England Redress Scheme on when the abuse took place. Whether it happened five years ago or fifty, you can apply, as long as you meet the two conditions in Section 3 of the Abuse Redress Measure. The scheme itself runs for a fixed period once it opens, so applying within that window matters. Full detail on the application window is at time limits under the scheme.

Can I claim if the abuse was never reported to the police?

Yes. The scheme does not require you to have reported the abuse to the police. It does not require the perpetrator to have been investigated, charged, or convicted. The test is the one in Section 3 of the Measure, applied on the balance of probability (meaning more likely than not), not the criminal standard. Many survivors of clergy abuse never reported, for reasons the scheme recognises in the aggravating-factor framework in Rule 12 of the Rules.

Can I claim if the abuser has died?

Yes. The Measure does not require the perpetrator to be alive. The Church of England Redress Scheme applies the Section 3 test to the facts of the abuse, not to whether the perpetrator can be questioned or held to account separately. The scheme is built so that the death of the abuser is not a bar to redress for the survivor.

Can I claim Church of England Redress Scheme compensation if I am not sure the person who abused me was officially a Church officer?

Yes, this is often enough. Section 3(2)(b) of the Measure says the first condition is also met if you had reasonable grounds to believe the person had authority to perform a role in the Church of England. The test is what you reasonably believed at the time, not what records would now show. If, for example, you understood the person to be a youth worker or a lay reader and they acted publicly in that role, the reasonable-belief part of the test is likely to be met.

Does Winston Solicitors only act on the redress scheme, or can you also bring a civil claim?

Winston Solicitors specialises in helping survivors apply through the Church of England Redress Scheme. We do not advise on civil claims against the Church. If, having read about the scheme, you want to understand whether a civil claim might be the right route for you instead, you should take independent advice from a solicitor with specific civil litigation expertise in clergy abuse cases. The trade-offs between the two routes are set out at the redress scheme versus a civil claim.

Can I claim if I live outside the UK now?

Yes, where the Section 3 test is met. The Measure at Section 3(7) confirms the abuse can have taken place in England, elsewhere in the United Kingdom, or in any other place. Where you live now does not exclude you. For survivors who now live outside the UK, the practical points on timing, evidence, and communication are set out at claiming from outside the UK.

Does the scheme cover abuse that took place in a Church school or children’s home?

Yes. Where the school or children’s home was managed by the Church of England and the abuser had authority through that role, the Section 3 test is met. Neglect and maltreatment under Rule 2(6) of the Rules has a specific connection to residential-care contexts. Sexual, physical, psychological, and spiritual abuse in Church-managed schools and children’s homes are all within the scheme.

Does the scheme cover one-off incidents or only sustained abuse?

A single incident is enough. The Measure does not require the abuse to have been repeated over a period of time. One incident meeting the Section 3 test is enough to bring an application. The severity, the impact, and the surrounding circumstances feed into the calculation of the award under Schedule 1 and Rule 12, but they are not a threshold for being able to apply at all.

How do I find out whether my case meets the Section 3 test without committing to anything?

Use the Church of England Redress Scheme compensation calculator to walk through the eligibility and indicative-award steps privately. It asks for no contact details, keeps no record, and runs entirely in your browser. When you want a second opinion from a person, you can speak to Stacey Flegg at Winston Solicitors in your own time. The first conversation costs nothing and carries no obligation to proceed.

Reading a page like this one can be hard, especially the parts that ask you to think back to the role the abuser held, the link between that role and what happened, and whether what happened fits the categories the scheme names. If you would like to talk to someone right now, independently of any claim, the following organisations are there for you:

• Samaritans. Free, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Call 116 123 from any phone in the UK, or email jo@samaritans.org.
• NAPAC, the National Association for People Abused in Childhood. Free support line for adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse. Call 0808 801 0331 or visit napac.org.uk.
• Safe Spaces. The Church of England and Catholic Church’s joint support service for survivors of church-related abuse. Confidential, and independent of the Church’s own processes. Call 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.

These services are independent of Winston Solicitors and of the Church of England Redress Scheme. You do not need to be considering a claim to use them.

If you have read this page and want to talk through whether you can claim Church of England Redress Scheme compensation, Stacey Flegg, Head of the Church of England Redress Scheme at Winston solicitors will speak with you in your own time.

Winston Solicitors’ team works with survivors of clergy abuse from across England and Wales, with over 4,000 five-star reviews across the firm’s wider work. We focus specifically on the Church of England Redress Scheme route rather than general abuse litigation, which is why Stacey can give you an honest read on whether the scheme is the right route for you, in plain English, before you decide on anything.