The Government has introduced a Scheme to make payments to victims of terrorism who were injured in incidents outside the United Kingdom (UK) on or after 27 November 2012. From that date, victims will be able to apply for an award under this Scheme.  

Responsibility for the designation of terrorist attacks for the purposes of the Scheme falls to the Foreign Secretary. The FCO website will list those terrorist incidents that are designated by the Foreign Secretary.

The Scheme applies to victims who were injured in a designated act. British, European Union, European Economic Area and Swiss citizens who have been resident in the UK for three years immediately before the designated act may be eligible for an award. Victims bereaved as a result of a designated act may also be eligible for an award. This Scheme covers victims resident in Northern Ireland.

Victims of overseas terrorism - Scheme (PDF 0.87mb)

Victims of overseas terrorism - guide (PDF 0.46mb)

Victims of overseas terrorism - personal injury application form (PDF 0.14mb)

Victims of overseas terrorism - fatal injury application form (PDF 0.16mb)

Eligibility information

Am I eligible?

Before you apply for compensation you need to know if you are eligible for compensation, and what type of compensation to apply for. The following sections explain this in more detail:

What can I apply for?

We make all our decisions following a set of rules referred to as 'The Scheme'. This Scheme guides us on eligibility and the level of payment we can make. The Scheme was introduced on 27 November 2012 and applies to any incidents that took place on or after 27 November 2012.

You may be eligible to apply if:

• You were injured in a terrorist incident that took place outside the UK on or after 27 November 2012
• The Foreign Secretary has decided that the terrorist incident is a designated act for the purposes of the Scheme
• You have an injury which is directly attributable to a designated act and the injury is sufficiently serious so as to be in the tariff to the Scheme
• You are a British, EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen who has been resident in the UK for three years immediately before the terrorist incident or you are a Crown servant or member of the armed forces or an accompanying relative of a Crown servant or member of the armed forces
• You have made your application within two years of the last date of the designated act.  (But we might accept applications outside this limit if, due to exceptional circumstances, you could not have applied earlier and there would still be enough evidence for us to consider)

But you will not be eligible if:

• You were injured before 27 November 2012
• The Foreign Secretary does not consider that the incident in which you were injured is a designated act
• Your injuries are not sufficiently serious so as to be in the tariff
• You do not meet the nationality or residency requirements of the Scheme

We may also refuse or reduce an award:

• If you have already applied for or received compensation for the same injury
• Because of your or the deceased’s behaviour before, during or after the designated act
• Because of your or the deceased’s criminal record
• Because of your failure to co-operate with us

Please note that:

The ex gratia Victims of Overseas Terrorism Scheme applies to victims who have been injured in a designated terrorist act occurring between 1 January 2002 and 26 November 2012.

Ex-gratia Victims of overseas terrorism - Scheme (PDF 2mb)

Ex-gratia Victims of overseas terrorism - guide (PDF 2mb)