John McDonnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what costs may be incurred by a victim when applying for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Mike Penning

According to latest figures, in the financial year 2013-14 we made payments totalling more than £242m to victims of violent crime.

We also aim to make our application process as simple as possible. Applicants need only complete one form when applying to Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and we have an online application service. Those who have no access to online services, or who need additional support, can apply by phone. Depending on the nature of the claim, applicants may be asked to provide evidence to support their claim, for example: medical reports or employment information.

In the last financial year 94 per cent of applicants we surveyed after receiving their decision, including people who were refused compensation, said they were happy with our service.

Where necessary, CICA will ask applicants to provide basic medical evidence to support their claim. Applicants are expected to meet the cost of a medical report up to the value of £50. If additional medical information is required this will be paid for by CICA. If an applicant cannot afford to pay for the initial medical report, CICA will pay and deduct this from any award of compensation made. There are no other charges associated with making a claim.

An application received in one financial year may not necessarily be resolved in the same financial year. Although we aim to make compensation payments as quickly as possible, we have a duty to the taxpayer to investigate claims properly while ensuring that the applicant gets the level of compensation they deserve. In some cases it may not be in the best interests of an applicant to finalise a claim before the long term implications of an injury can be properly assessed.

*This is the total number of victims compensated and their claims concluded within those calendar years.