Who can claim from the Church of England Redress Scheme?

Claim from the Church of England Redress Scheme

In this page, we cover who is eligible to claim from the Church of England Redress Scheme. The scheme is intended to be open to anyone who has been abused by a person in a position of authority or trust within the Church of England, regardless of when the abuse occurred. This includes abuse perpetrated by clergy, lay staff, and volunteers.

To discuss your claim call us on 0113 320 5000

A crucial aspect of the eligibility criteria, which is currently under review following the independent Makin report, is the extent to which the scheme will cover negligence by Church office-holders who failed to act on reports of abuse. The final details of the eligibility criteria are being carefully considered to ensure they are robust and fair.

Eligibility for the Church of England's National Redress Scheme Outlined

Who can claim from the Church of England Redress Scheme?

Individuals who have experienced abuse of any form by a person in a position of authority within the Church of England will be eligible to apply for redress under a new national scheme expected to launch in 2025. The scheme is designed to provide a range of support, including financial compensation, therapeutic services, and a formal apology, to survivors of abuse.

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To be eligible to make a claim from the Church of England Redress Scheme, an individual must have been subjected to physical, sexual, emotional, psychological (which includes spiritual abuse), financial abuse, neglect, or maltreatment. A key criterion is that the alleged abuser must have held a role within the Church of England, or the survivor had reasonable grounds to believe they did. Furthermore, a clear connection must be established between the abuser's role and the abuse that occurred.

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria are broad and are intended to be as inclusive as possible. Claims can be made regardless of when or where the abuse took place, and it does not matter if the survivor was a child or an adult at the time. There is no requirement for the abuse to have been previously reported to the police or for the abuser to have been criminally convicted. Claims can also be made even if the alleged abuser has since passed away.

For those in immediate and urgent need of support, the Church of England has an Interim Support Scheme in place. This provides short-term assistance while the final details of the comprehensive national redress scheme are being finalised.

The national scheme, once fully operational, will be administered by an independent body to ensure impartiality in the assessment of claims. The financial compensation offered will be determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature and impact of the abuse.

Client feedback

We recently used Winston Solicitors for conveyancing on both the sale of our previous home and the purchase of our new one. Michelle Ayres was exceptional throughout. She was accessible, proactive, and it genuinely felt like she was on our side and working in our best interests.There were a few challenges in the chain, but Michelle was always willing to take the time to explain the situation, outline our options, and keep everything moving. As our process stretched over 6 months, there were times when Michelle was out of the office, but Olivia Cooke and Samantha Robertson-Strong seamlessly picked things up and ensured nothing ever slipped.It was an outstanding experience that made a difficult and often stressful process far more manageable. We would highly recommend Winston Solicitors and especially Michelle to anyone, and we will certainly look to use their services again in future (although we plan to enjoy our new home and give ourselves a well earned break for now!).

Glenn

The service I recieved regarding wills and powers of attourney, were handled in a very professional and sympathetic manner. Thanks must go to Monika for leading me through the" legal minefield" involved. My late wife and I originally used Winstons years ago for all our legal dealings at the time and we could honestly say we could not have chosen better.

David

Amr and Joe are responsive and helpful, very professional.

Tracy M, West Yorkshire

Samantha was excellent at helping us secure our house. She was extremely responsive, organised and thorough in her work.I would recommend her and Winston solicitors to anyone.

Mr Peterson a

Sidraa and Tom were incredibly thorough and kept me up to date in a timely manner. Would recommend!

Alexandra

Amr and Joe recently acted for me on the sale and purchase of properties. They were both very professional, responsive and promptly dealt with any enquiries. My experience with Winstons was really positive having used other firms for previous transactions. I would definitely recommend to family and friends!

Ruth

I purchased my first house through Winston Solicitors. The experience I had from start to finish was amazing. I will definitely recommend Winston Solicitors to my family and friends and will be using them again in the future.

Aruna

Samantha Robertson-Strong has dealt with the conveyancing for the sale of my property and purchase of a new home. Throughout the process of selling Samantha dealt with queries from the buyers promptly and professionally. This included one particular hiccup, that threatened to delay and complicate matters, by simply advising on a point of law that the buyer’s solicitor was seemingly not aware of.The purchase of our new home was dealt with in a similar manner, no stone left unturned, fast paced and with regular up dates on which stage we had reached. We felt well informed and in good hands throughout the process.Fast to respond, no flannel and an in-depth knowledge of property law Samantha is exceptional and I would recommend her services to anyone about to buy or sell a property.

Elizabeth