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Am I eligible?

Can I apply?

Before you apply for an award you need to know if you are eligible and what type of an award and/or payment to apply for. The following sections explain this in more detail:

What can I apply for?

How CICA makes its decisions

We make all our decisions following a set of rules called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. This Scheme guides us on eligibility and the level of payment we can make. The current Scheme was introduced on 27 November 2012 and applies to any applications made on or after that date. If your application was made before then different rules may apply.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (PDF 0.88mb)

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 - A guide (PDF 0.68mb)

More information about how we handle your claim

Information if you applied before 27 November 2012

You may be eligible to apply if:

  • You have been injured seriously enough to qualify for at least our minimum award (£1,000).
  • You were injured in an act of violence in England, Scotland or Wales. An offender does not necessarily have to have been convicted of, or even charged with that crime. 
You have made your application within two years of the incident that caused your injury. (But we might accept applications outside this limit if exceptional circumstances prevented you from submitting an application earlier). 

What if I was injured outside England, Scotland or Wales?

But you will not be eligible if:

  • You did not report the incident. If the crime for which you are seeking an award has not been reported to the police we cannot make an award.
  • you were injured before 1 August 1964
  • you have already applied for an award for the same criminal injury, under the 2012 Scheme or under any earlier Scheme operating in England, Scotland and Wales
  • the injury happened before 1 October 1979 and you and the person who injured you were living together at the time as members of the same family in the same household
  • the injury and the act of violence took place outside England, Scotland or Wales

We may also refuse or reduce an award because of:

  • your behaviour before, during or after the incident in which you were injured
  • your criminal record
  • your failure to co-operate with the police or with us
  • your delay in informing the police
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

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