The CICA, Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is a government-funded scheme which enables victims of crime to receive compensation for their injuries. In some cases other losses can also be claimed.
There are two criminal injuries compensation schemes, those for injuries that occured after 2012 and those that where the injury happened after 2008. The CICA has different compensation levels for each scheme, based on tariffs for each type of injury.
The main benefit of the scheme is that it pays compensation when otherwise you would probably receive nothing. The CICA also deals with claims following sexual abuse, rape and child abuse.
Our 'no win, no fee' service
We will check your application for free and contact you to discuss how to proceed with your claim.
We will advise you on how best to claim the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. We help you complete the claim form and our criminal injury lawyers will correspond with the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (CICA) on your behalf. This means we negotiate with the CICA to ensure you receive the maximum you are entitled to, and only if you are successful do you pay any legal costs. The amount is usually just 25% of your compensation.
Click on our criminal injuries compensation calculator to see how much you may be entitled to claim.
Watch our video guide if you need help filling in the compensation calculator.
Making a CICA claim
- The incident can be for any crime where injury is caused.
- The incident must have been reported to the police.
- The value of the injuries must be over £1,000.
- The claim must be made within two years of the incident. Except for historic sexual abuse cases where the timescales are different.
- Road traffic offences are excluded - use the Motor Insurers' Bureau 'MIB' claim.
- Damages for loss of property are excluded.
- The victim must not have provoked the attacker or caused the crime.
- The victim should not have any previous convictions or be of a dubious character (deductions of between 10% and 100% are made in respect of these factors).
- The compensation award will be based on a fixed tariff as set out in the criminal injuries compensation schemes of 2008 and 2012.
- A victim of violence in a family will receive compensation so long as the offender will not benefit from any award.
Call 0113 320 5000 to talk through your claim, or email cica@winstonsolicitors.co.uk
