Compensation for crime victims capped in 1996 not enough, say campaigners | UK criminal justice
The 30-year freeze on compensation for victims of crime should be lifted, campaigners say, adding that the £500,000 maximum is inadequate for lifetime planning.
The current highest rate, set by the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (CICA) in April 1996, is paid to victims of crime in England, Scotland and Wales who have suffered serious life-changing injuries, including brain damage and paralysis.
This money is paid to cover both their care and their long-term future, as their injuries often mean they are unable to work.
But new figures show that if the maximum amount rises in line with inflation it would be £1,015,000, more than double the current limit.
Those affected and advocates expressed concern that the money would run out, leaving them without vital support and affecting their overall quality of life.
Craig Lewis-Williams, 50, from North Wales, suffered brain damage after being attacked while walking home in November 2021. This left him unable to walk, unable to swallow, and had memory problems.
Later during his treatment, he suffered a stroke, paralyzing his left side, and he is now fed through a tube with caregivers visiting six times a day.
Attacker Adam Chamberlin, from Llay, was jailed for more than a year after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Lewis-Williams, who was a warehouse manager before the attack, won the maximum payout from CICA on appeal. But his wife Anna fears this won’t go far enough.
He said: “Items like wheelchairs and minibuses will need to be replaced, these are big things to pay for and are not things that ordinary people need.
“This won’t last long. He just turned 50 and the life expectancy for a man is 75 to 80, so that’s another 25 to 30 years.”
“You have a car, you have a family, prices are much higher than 30 years ago, we are facing a cost of living crisis and what is happening in Iran, money needs to last longer.”
Nichola, from north-west England, has the same fears for her adopted teenage daughter Lou.
The middle school student has learning disabilities caused by brain damage caused by her biological mother taking drugs while she was pregnant and drugging her after she was born.
While Nichola says Lou “defied the odds” and went to a mainstream school, she says she suffers from mental processing difficulties, mood disorders and behavioral problems.
“The assessments are that he will likely have difficulty maintaining his job in the long term due to interdisciplinary and interpersonal relationships,” Nichola said.
“He has a significant amount of money, which may seem like a lot to others, but it will last him a lifetime and he is very young, so he may have to last another 80 years.
“If you’re someone struggling to hold on to a job, you’re not going to get much out of your pension when you retire,” he said.
Neil Sugarman, a lawyer who practices criminal injuries and is a former president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (Apil), said the 30th anniversary should be a “wake-up call”.
“It is an insult to adults and children who have suffered catastrophic brain damage, been confined to a wheelchair, or had their lives ruined by abuse, that through no fault of their own they have to make do with this amount for life.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with all victims of violent crime.
“With more than £164 million paid out by the taxpayer-funded Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme in 2024-25, we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure brave survivors get the support they deserve.”
