How Long Does It Take For A CICA Claim To Come Through?

By Stephen Kane. Last Updated 25th October 2023. If you were the victim of a crime of violence and you suffered mental or physical harm, you could seek compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) when there is no other option. The CICA is an executive agency of the Government. It was set up to provide compensation to those who are harmed by violent events when they have no other avenue to claim compensation. Therefore, for the CICA to accept a compensation claim you must meet specific criteria. This includes proof your injuries happened through no fault of your own. Submitting a claim through the CICA scheme can prove challenging and there is a strict time limit that must be respected.

Our guide offers vital information on how to prove you were not responsible for your injuries. The guide provides advice on what you could include in a claim through the CICA, and we explain how money awarded is worked out.

CICA Claim

CICA Claims Guide

We offer information on the value attached to this type of claim. We provide advice on how long a case may take to settle through the CICA scheme, and why there might be a delay in reaching a final settlement.

For free legal advice and to see whether you could be represented by a No Win No Fee solicitor, please get in touch with a member of our team on 0161 696 9685, or to continue reading through our guide just click on the sections below.

Select a Section

  1. How Long Does Criminal Injuries Compensation Take To Come Through?
  2. When Could You Make A CICA Claim?
  3. What Types Of Criminal Injury Could I Claim Compensation For?
  4. Examples Of CICA Payouts
  5. Could I Claim Special Expenses?
  6. Time Limits For Criminal Injury And CICA Claims
  7. Why Could A CICA Claim Payout Be Delayed?
  8. No Win No Fee Injury Solicitors For CICA Claims
  9. Resources

How Long Does Criminal Injuries Compensation Take To Come Through?

You might be wondering, ‘How long does criminal injuries compensation take to come through?’ It’s important to clarify that there is no specific CICA claim waiting time for 2023. Given that many factors influence how long it can take for your CICA claim to be settled, the timescales vary for each case.

However, the CICA state that the majority of claims submitted to them are assessed within 12 months. More complex cases will take longer to finalise to ensure that the compensation you are awarded reflects the severity of your injuries and their long-term impacts.

Once the compensation offered to you has been accepted, they aim to pay it directly into your or your representative’s bank account within 20 working days.

For more information regarding how to make a criminal injury claim through the CICA, you can contact our advisors. They may also be able to connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel who could assist you with your claim.

When Could You Make A CICA Claim?

You may be eligible to make a CICA claim for criminal injuries if the following applies:

  • You were injured in a crime of violence. This can include an attack, an act or omission of a violent nature that causes harm, sexual assault, arson or a threat of attack (if the circumstances mean that the victim is in “reasonable firmness” to be put in such fear).
  • The crime of violence occurred in England, Wales, Scotland or another relevant place (such as onboard a ship registered to one of these countries).
  • You have reported the crime that has caused your injuries to the police. A claim cannot be submitted to the CICA if the crime has not been reported to the police.
  • You are starting your claim within the relevant time limit. You can find out more about the time limit for CICA compensation claims further on into this guide.

If all the above applies, then you may be able to start the process of a CICA claim, even if the assailant has not been convicted or caught.

To ask questions about claiming compensation from the CICA, contact our team for free today. Our advisors can answer questions such as “how long does a CICA claim take?” or discuss criminal compensation payouts with you.

What Types Of Criminal Injury Could I Claim Compensation For?

You can submit a CICA claim if you were the direct victim of a crime of violence in Great Britain and you suffered physical, psychological harm or both. You must meet specific criteria and be eligible for your case to be accepted under the Scheme.

If your case is accepted, the amount awarded is based on a tariff scheme and your injury must be listed in the CICA tariff of injuries. The sort of injuries accepted include the following:

If you witnessed a loved one being assaulted you may be entitled to claim compensation if you suffered mental trauma.

You could be entitled to claim if you were at the scene of the crime immediately after the incident. The definition of ‘immediate’ in this instance is the time straight after an assault that left a loved one injured. The mental injury must be a direct result of what you witnessed and a report provided by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist must accompany your claim.

For more information and free legal advice, please get in touch with a member of our team today.

Examples Of CICA Payouts

The CICA provides a criminal injury compensation tariff in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. Any payouts will be awarded in line with this tariff and the provisions made within the scheme.

In claims where your assault or injuries could apply to multiple tariff categories – you can make a claim for up to three of these. Only the highest category will be paid out at a full rate. A second injury would be compensated for at 30% of the tariff rate, and a third would be paid out at 15%.

The table below includes examples of CICA payouts as found within the tariff.

Type of injuryCompensation amountsNotes
Psychological harm£27,000Seriously disabling, confirmed by a psychiatrist's report.
Psychological harm£13,500Confirmed by a psychiatrist's report, harm lasting over 5 years.
Psychological harm£1,000Confirmed by a psychiatrist's report harm lasting up to 28 weeks.
Injury to arm£27,000Loss of function in non-dominant arm.
Injury to hip£16,500Both hips fractured resulting in significant disability ongoing.
Injury to ankle£11,000Fractured or dislocated ankle resulting in significant and continuing disability.
Injury to elbow £6,200Fractured or dislocated elbow resulting in significant disability.
Injury to back£6,200Invertebral disc damage resulting in permanent and seriously disabling damage.
Injury to shoulder £3,500Dislocated shoulder resulting in significant disability.

You can still claim compensation for other effects of an assault through the scheme. Read on to find out more about what could be included in your CICA compensation.

If you have any questions about CICA claims you want answered directly, please reach out to one of our advisers.

Amounts From The CICA – Should I Accept The First Offer?

From our experience, we would recommend that you consider if the criminal injuries compensation you have been offered is enough and whether it covers any special expenses incurred because of your injuries.

Although the CICA has set compensation amounts outlined in the criminal injury compensation tariff, you may feel your injury has been miscategorised. This can be true if you have suffered psychological injuries, which might prove difficult to diagnose.

However, a solicitor from our panel could help you gather more evidence to boost the compensation amount offered by the CICA. A psychological assessment could be arranged to prove the extent of any mental health harm.

Get in touch if you would like to work with an expert No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. They can help you collect supporting evidence for your CICA psychological injury claim.

Could I Claim Special Expenses?

The authority could pay special expenses if:

  • They are necessary
  • You incurred the expense as a direct result of the injury you are claiming for
  • Be reasonable

Special expenses cover the financial repercussions of the injuries you have suffered. They are intended to help you cope with any financial fallout that has been caused due to your injuries. But the CICA will only cover the cost when it cannot be covered elsewhere through the NHS and benefits system for example.

Other things you may be able to include in a claim are:

  • Physical aids include specially-adapted vehicles, walking aids, wheelchairs, kitchen implements which are absolutely necessary and not just ‘desirable’ and which cannot be sourced elsewhere free of charge
  • Home adaptations on the interior and exterior of your property with proof that these are necessary and that similar adaptations cannot be sourced elsewhere
  • Care costs include help bathing, toileting and incontinence management, meal preparation, and supervision. You must prove that the care required cannot be provided free of charge from another source
  • Loss of earnings, or earning capacity, because you are unable to work for longer than 28 weeks

The CICA would need a copy of your assessment needs which your local authority would provide. This assessment shows the things which the NHS or local authority are unable to provide.

Payments through an insurance policy would be deducted from the amount you receive in special expenses as well.

A No Win No Fee lawyer can assist you when making a claim for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. For more assistance, please call a member of our team today.

Time Limits For Criminal Injury And CICA Claims

You have to submit your claim within 2 years from the date of an assault that left you injured to make a claim through the CICA. That said, time limits can be extended when exceptional circumstances apply.

If you were making the claim against the defendant instead of through the CICA your time limit would be longer. Generally three years.

If you are unsure as to whether you still have time to submit a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, please contact a member of our team who would be happy to assess your case before advising you on how best to go forward.

Exceptions To The Two Year Time Limit

You can submit a claim after the 2-year time limit expires, but only in exceptional circumstances or the following applies to your case:

  • You are a minor
  • The case involves historic sexual abuse

To discuss a claim through the CICA, and for free legal advice, please contact one of our advisors today.

No Win No Fee Injury Solicitors For CICA Claims

If you are eligible to make a CICA claim for your criminal injuries, one of the solicitors on our panel could help you with your case. Furthermore, they may offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement.

Under this arrangement, you will not be required to pay any upfront or ongoing fees for your solicitor’s services. Furthermore, you will not have to pay them for the work they have done on your claim if it fails.

Alternatively, you pay them a success fee if they succeed with your claim. This success fee is a legally capped percentage that will be deducted from your CICA compensation.

To find out if you could be eligible to work with one of the solicitors on our panel or for further examples of CICA payments for successful claims, you can contact our advisors.

Contact an advisor by:

Resources

We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any further queries about how long a CICA claim could take, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at any time.

Other Criminal Injury Claim Guides