What is the CICA?

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is a government-funded organisation that makes payments to the victims of violent crime. This can be crimes of physical violence/sexual assault/rape etc. It can include a do being set upon you.

The CICA tariff system of payment

The CICA has a tariff system whereby the injuries you have sustained are allocated a particular status and this in turn determines the level of award made. The level of award is not as high as you would recover in a civil claim since it is meant to represent a recognition of your suffering, rather than compensate you for your losses.

If you have more than one injury, you will be dealt with under the multiple injuries scheme whereby you receive 100% of the most serious injury, 30% of the second and 15% of the third. There is no further payment thereafter. This does not apply to incidents of sexual assault/rape wherein you will receive an award for either the incident or the impact that it has upon you, depending upon whichever is the highest.

Qualifying for an award from the CICA

To qualify for an award you must:

• make your application within two years of the date of the incident (although there are exceptions)
• the matter must have been reported to the police promptly (again, there can be exceptions)
• you must have given full cooperation to the police with their investigations and any subsequent prosecution.

If you have any criminal convictions these may impact upon any award or offer to be made.

Making an application to the CICA

The CICA does not require applicants to have legal representation and if you contact them directly at https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-criminal-injury, (0300 003 3601)they will assist. However, in matters with potential issues and/or complex injuries, it is not unusual for solicitors to be instructed.

It is worth noting that applicants who are legally represented and wish to appeal the award offer are likely to receive a substantially higher level of award