The amount of compensation you will be paid will be calculated on a case-by-case basis, and is dependent on a number of different factors. Let’s look at what sort of factors can affect the level of your compensation pay out, and at some possible payout figures, if we apply to the Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme for an award on your behalf. 

Maximum and minimum payouts

If you suffer a severe injury, which leaves you disabled and unable to continue life as you used to live it, then the level of your criminal compensation payout will be at the very highest end of the scale. Your dependents can be compensated if you are killed, too. The maximum payout possible under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is £500,000. There are a number of tariffs set by government legislation, which fix the amount of money deemed fair, for each type of injury. The awards range from £1000, which is the minimum, upwards in 25 levels to the maximum of £500,000. These figures may be affected if you receive a civil court payout of compensation. And if you have a recent criminal conviction, the figure may be reduced.

How is a claim calculated?

Criminal injury claims put forward by you will be assessed against a set of strict criteria. Up to three injuries will be assessed according to their seriousness. The maximum amount for the worst injury is added to 30% of the second worst injury award, with 15% of the award for the third injury making up the total. Clearly, if you only have one injury, you will only receive an award for that one.

Who can claim?

The family of a victim of criminal injury can claim compensation for the loss of a loved one, in the event that they die. If you are

• A spouse (including same sex partner)
• Former spouse
• Unmarried partner of the victim (you must have been living together for two years before the death)
• Parents of the victim
• A child of the victim

The amount you will be able to claim for the death of a loved one, due to criminal injury, depends on the number of people making the claim. If there is just one person claiming, the amount will be £11,000.

If you were dependent on the deceased victim, you will be able to claim an amount for this. Children under 18 are able to claim, because they will have lost the ‘parental services’ of the deceased parent. This will be £2000 per annum, until the child reaches 18 years old.

Some examples of claim figures 

Injuries will have to be assessed by a qualified doctor, to give an assessment of how long they are likely to last, or the impact they will have upon you in the future. When this is taken into account, the figures you can expect from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme range from

• £1000 for a sprained wrist, where the injury lasts for 13 weeks or more
• £11,000 for sprains to both wrists with continuing significant disability
• £2,400 for moderate burns
• £11,000 for severe burns

You can see how the figure rises depending on the severity of the injuries. The very worst injuries, such as permanent brain damage, will have the highest awards:

• Severe brain injury £175,000 – £250,000
• Blindness – £200,000
• Amputation of both arms – £132,500 – £165,000

Whatever your injury, do speak to a criminal injury compensation specialist about your claim. Ring us on 0800 180 4123 from a landline, or 0333 500 0992 from your mobile. Or visit our calculator for compensation in criminal injury cases.