How To Claim Sexual Abuse Compensation Through The CICA

Sexual abuse can lead to complex emotional trauma and devastating physical injuries. If you are living with the impact of abuse, you may be eligible to make a sexual abuse compensation claim for the harm you have suffered, as well as any associated costs or financial losses.

We first explain when you could claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), including for historic sexual abuse. We then look at how the CICA calculates compensation and how to claim through them. Lastly, we explain how using a criminal injury solicitor from our panel could help you get compensation.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your case, you can contact one of our friendly advisors:

A woman uses a mobile phone as she thoughtfully looks out through a window that shows her reflection.

Browse Our Guide

  1. Am I Eligible To Claim Sexual Abuse Compensation?
  2. What The CICA Is And How It Affects Your Claim
  3. How Much Compensation Could I Claim For Sexual Abuse?
  4. How To Make A Sexual Abuse Compensation Claim
  5. Why Trust Public Interest Lawyers With Your Claim?
  6. More Information

Am I Eligible To Claim Sexual Abuse Compensation?

You could be eligible to make a claim for sexual abuse compensation through the CICA.

However, you will need to meet certain eligibility requirements. These are:

  • Your injuries were the result of a crime of violence. This includes sexual abuse, assault, and arson, for example.
  • The abuse was reported to the police.
  • Your abuse happened in Great Britain or a location where the law might apply (like a British-controlled vessel at sea).
  • Your claim is started within the time limit (we will discuss this later on).

What You Need To Know About Historic Sexual Abuse Claims

Historic sexual abuse (also known as non-recent abuse) refers to adults who were abused as children. Whilst the number of survivors in the UK may never be known, the 2019 Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that 3.1 million people aged 18 to 74 had been sexually abused before they were 16.

You can claim for historic abuse through the CICA, as long as you can demonstrate that your case meets their eligibility requirements.

To see if you could be eligible to claim sexual abuse compensation through the CICA, you can contact our advisors.

A British police car turns its blue lights on whilst behind a police van.

What The CICA Is And How It Affects Your Claim

So, what is the CICA, and how could they help you? The CICA is a government-backed executive agency, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) compensates individuals who have suffered injuries to a crime of violence.

They use the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (The Scheme) to assess the eligibility of claims and value injuries using the fixed tariff.

The CICA states that they should be used as a ‘last resort’, meaning that, where possible, you should try to claim directly against the perpetrator or a vicariously liable party first. However, if you do not know who they are or if they don’t have the means to pay you compensation, you could make your claim through the CICA.

Additionally, the perpetrator does not need to have been caught or convicted for you to be able to make a claim through the CICA.

Contact our advisors today to discuss your case and see if you could be eligible to claim sexual abuse compensation.

How Much Compensation Could I Claim For Sexual Abuse?

The CICA uses The Scheme to calculate compensation for sexual abuse claims. Whilst no case is alike, the CICA will refer to the Scheme when assessing the physical, psychological, and financial impact of your abuse.

How Compensation Amounts Are Worked Out

Those valuing your criminal injuries will refer to the tariff of injuries listed within the Scheme. These are fixed amounts, meaning you will receive the exact amount listed for you injury if your claim is a success.

Additionally, the CICA will only compensate a maximum of three injuries using a multiple injuries formula. Under its terms, you would be compensated:

  • The full amount for the highest-valued injury
  • 30% compensation for the second highest-valued injury
  • 15% for the injury with the third highest value

The CICA can also offer payments to survivors if their sexual abuse resulted in a pregnancy, the loss of a baby, or an STI.

Although compensation is different for every claim, the following table shows how the CICA Scheme values certain injuries. These amounts are fixed, meaning you will receive the exact figure listed for that injury. Moreover, the top figure does not come from the Scheme.

Type of Criminal InjurySeverityCompensation
Multiple Forms of Criminal Injury And Special ExpensesSevereUp to £500,000
Non-Consensual Penile Penetration Of Vagina, Anus, Or Mouth (victim of any age)Serious internal bodily injury with a disabling mental illness that is severe and permanent£44,000
Serious internal bodily injury with a disabling mental illness that is moderate and permanent£33,000
Pattern of incidents for more than three years£22,000
Involving at least two attackers£13,500
One attacker£11,000
Sexual Assault (victim of any age)At least one non-penile penetrative or oral genital act causing a severe, permanently disabling mental
illness		£27,000
Resulting in a moderate mental illness as confirmed by a psychiatric diagnosis.£22,000
Serious internal bodily injuries£22,000
Pattern of frequent severe abuse over 3+ years.£8,200

Special Expenses In Relation To Your Claim

So long as you can prove your injuries directly led to certain financial losses, CICA payouts and awards can offer reimbursement for special expenses. Provided that you can show these special expenses were necessary, reasonable, and had no free alternative, you could be compensated for:

  • Home adaptations like a ramp installation to improve accessibility
  • Specialist equipment like a wheelchair
  • Care and supervision costs, including for food preparation
  • Damage to equipment or property that you relied on as a physical aid (such as glasses)

Moreover, you could be eligible to seek compensation for a loss of earnings. However, keep in mind that the CICA requires claimants to meet very specific criteria.

Our advisors can offer free advice if you would like more information about special expenses or how the CICA calculates sexual abuse compensation.

Close-up of a woman in therapy who could be entitled to sexual abuse compensation.

How To Make A Sexual Abuse Compensation Claim

Whether you are a survivor of recent or historic sexual abuse, you will need to be aware of certain steps when making a claim through the CICA.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

The CICA requires you to provide certain evidence when making a claim through them. This includes:

  • A police crime reference number
  • Proof that you satisfied the CCA’s residency requirements
  • Medical evidence regarding your criminal injuries.

After you file your application, the CICA will liaise with the police and may seek additional information from you.

Time Limits When Making A Claim

Usually, you must start a claim through the CICA within two years of the incident taking place. However, if exceptional circumstances prevented you from claiming within this timeframe, an exception could be made, but the CICA will assess this on a case-by-case basis.

For those criminally injured as a minor, the time limit are as follows:

  • If you made a police report, you have two years from your 18th birthday to begin the claiming process (provided that exceptional circumstances do not apply).
  • If you did not inform the police at the time of the abuse, you will have two years to start a claim from the date you make a police report. You will need to prove why you were unable to make this report sooner.

Considering A No Win No Fee Solicitor

Whilst there are no requirements to have legal representation, seeking expert advice can help you navigate the CICA claims process. However, if the idea of solicitor’s fees is holding you back, you may want to consider a No Win No Fee solicitor.

In particular, our panel of solicitors offer their services under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Essentially, it means:

  • You won’t pay an upfront fee to use a solicitor’s services
  • No extra fees for a solicitor’s work popping up as the claim progresses
  • No fee to pay for your solicitor’s work if the claim fails

For successful outcomes, a success fee will be paid from the compensation. Not only does this mean you won’t pay out-of-pocket, but the percentage of this fee is capped by law.

To see whether one of the No Win No Fee solicitors on our panel could help you claim sexual abuse compensation, you can contact our advisors.

The scales of justice and a gavel sit on top of a wooden desk.

Why Trust Public Interest Lawyers With Your Claim?

Here at Public Interest Lawyers, we recognise that sexual abuse claims can benefit from being supported by experienced, compassionate solicitors. If you choose a solicitor from our panel, you can expect the following from the outset:

  • Clear answers explaining the CICA claims process and legal jargon
  • Help with obtaining evidence that supports your claim and satisfies CICA’s eligibility criteria
  • Handling of correspondence with CICA and filing paperwork where applicable
  • A commitment to protect your confidentiality
  • Ensuring the CICA compensation claim is accurately calculated

If you would like more information about how a solicitor from our panel can support your claim, please connect with an advisor using the following details:

More Information

In addition, the following has helpful resources for survivors:

We want to thank you for reading our sexual abuse compensation guide.