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The Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme (CICA Scheme) is a government funded scheme designed to compensate blameless victims of violent crime such as sexual abuse and assault. The scheme is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
The current scheme applies to all those who have sent an application on or after the 27th of November 2012. CICA UK’s aim is to help victims of crime claim compensation using the CICA scheme to do so.
Use our CICA Calculator to find out how much compensation you’re eligible to receive in less than 30 seconds.
Why do we need the CICA?
The CICA scheme was established to help those who have been a victim of a violent crime or who have been injured because of a justified risk; such as helping a Police constable or preventing a crime. Often with a crime of violence, the criminal or the person(s) liable may not be identified and therefore can’t be sued in the traditional way – The CICA scheme can help tremendously with victims of such incidents.
The CICA scheme can also help with victims of historical abuse such as victims of child abuse and historical sexual abuse and rape. Essentially, the CICA scheme can help victims when traditional lawsuits may not be able to. It has been set up solely to help victims of crime and at CICA UK we can help you make the most of it and claim the compensation you deserve.
How can the CICA scheme help me?
The CICA scheme can help victims of violent crime move on with their lives as they can achieve civil justice and financial compensation. Victims of violent crime can often suffer for long periods of time after the event, in some serious cases, it can affect the rest of their lives. The CICA scheme can help reward the victims financially which can help with –
- Loss of earnings
- Property Damage
- Vehicle Repairs
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Be able to move location and leave a violent area
- Counselling
- Medication
- Physiotherapy
Rules of the CICA Scheme
Although the CICA scheme aims to help as many people injured by crime as possible there are certain rules that apply which are set by Parliament. These rules are there to make sure the compensation is awarded fairly and to avoid fraudulent claims.
Eligibility
- The claimant must have been a victim of a violent crime
- The claim must be made no later than 2 years from the date of the crime unless in exceptional circumstances where a claim could not be made such as psychological trauma or crime was committed when the claimant was a child. If you’re unsure give us a call to discuss.
Residency
As the criminal injury compensation authority is a UK government body there are certain guidelines towards the residency status of the claimant as outlined below –
The claimant must be one of the following:
- A British citizen
- A close relative of a British citizen;
- A national member of a member state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA);
- A person who had a right to be in the United Kingdom by virtue of being a family member of a national of a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area;
- a national of a State party to the Council of Europe Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes ;
- a Member of the Armed Forces;
- an accompanying close relative of a member of the armed forces
For further reference to eligibility please refer to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 guide.
Getting help with your CICA schema application
CICA UK are here to guide you through the process of claiming compensation for your injuries through CICA. We can provide invaluable free advice with an initial consultation to discuss what has happened, what services we can provide for you and if you are wanting to apply for compensation we will also guide you through the whole process of application.
The amount of compensation depends on the severity and nature of the injuries sustained, the effect the injuries have had on your life since the incident and whether or not this has affected your life financially since the accident.
The CICA scheme uses a tariff system to calculate the amount of compensation.
Examples of CICA Payouts – CICA Tariff Table
The CICA Scheme uses a 35 tier system split into two sections to decided the compensation amounts for the claim, the tiers are Level A1-A20 and B1-B15. The minimum amount for a successful claim on the scheme is £1,000 with the maximum being £250,000.
The scheme splits compensation amounts into two parts, part A and part B.
Part A of the CICA tariff covers injuries such as burns, paralysis, medically recognised illness, mental injury, peripheral sensory nerve damage and motor nerve damage as well as injuries to the head and neck, upper limbs, torso and lower limbs.
Part B of the criminal injuries compensation tariff covers fatal injuries, physical abuse in adults, sexual abuse, child abuse, infection as a result of sexual abuse and loss of a foetus.
Click here to find out more about making a CICA Claim with us
CICA Tariff tables
Here are some examples of CICA payouts:
| Level A1 | £1,000 |
| Level A2 | £1,500 |
| Level A3 | £1,800 |
| Level A4 | £2,400 |
| Level A5 | £3,500 |
| Level A6 | £4,600 |
| Level A7 | £6,200 |
| Level A8 | £11,000 |
| Level A9 | £13,500 |
| Level A10 | £16,50 |
| Level A9 | £13,500 |
| Level A10 | £16,500 |
| Level A11 | £19,000 |
| Level A12 | £22,000 |
| Level A13 | £27,000 |
| Level A14 | £33,000 |
| Level A15 | £44,000 |
| Level A16 | £55,000 |
| Level A17 | £82,000 |
| Level A18 | £110,000 |
| Level A19 | £175,000 |
| Level A20 | £250,000 |
| Level B1 | £1,000 |
| Level B2 | £1,500 |
| Level B3 | £2,000 |
| Level B4 | £3,300 |
| Level B5 | £4,400 |
| Level B6 | £5,500 |
| Level B7 | £6,600 |
| Level B8 | £8,200 |
| Level B9 | £11,000 |
| Level B10 | £13,500 |
| Level B11 | £16,500 |
| Level B12 | £22,000 |
| Level B13 | £27,000 |
| Level B14 | £33,000 |
| Level B15 | £44,000 |
Next Steps – Claim your compensation
If you’ve been affected by violent crime and you think you’re eligible the next step is to give us at CICA UK a call to discuss your case. You can do this by calling 0151 242 5111 or filling out the contact form on this page and we will get back you as soon as possible.
You can also use our compensation calculator to see your estimated award. We understand how distressing it is to be affected by violent crime but rest assured we are on your side and will help you move on with you.
