Victims of crime in Greater Manchester awarded over £4m in 3 years

In the last three years, victims from Manchester and ten other major British cities have been awarded over £48m

A government-funded agency has provided Manchester violent crime victims with more than £4,000,000 in compensation in the past three years.

JF Law, which provides legal services for people making criminal injury claims, made a Freedom of Information request to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

The data shows that Manchester-based crime victims made more than 2,500 criminal injury compensation claims between April 2021 and March 2024.

However, further information requests sent to police forces suggest that only a fraction of major crime victims are using this route to seek compensation for their injuries.

Hundreds remain in claim limbo

The CICA is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. Designed to offer a compensation route for people harmed in the course of violent crimes, or the families of people hurt and killed by violent acts, it claims to pay out more than £150m per year.

Murder, sexual abuse, assault and arson are all examples of crimes considered violent by the agency.

When a crime victim cannot seek compensation from their assailant or a liable third party, they can explore the taxpayer-funded option provided by the CICA.

JF Law reviewed claims made by residents from Manchester and ten other major British cities. It found that 2,545 people hailing from Manchester have sought compensation for the effects of violent crime in the past three financial years (2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24).

1,078 of those claims–42% of the total number–were rejected, with the claimant receiving nothing. In comparison, 23% of people who claimed in the past three years (575 applicants) have been offered a payment.

Another 892 are still waiting on an outcome, including 147 who started their claim in 2021/22, up to four years ago.

The CICA states that it aims to assess a claim within 12 months, but complex cases can take longer to process.

Overall, applicants from the 11 cities surveyed (The three British capitals plus Glasgow and seven major English cities) made 24,832 claims and received £48,285,937.17 in compensation.

Out of the 11 cities, only people from London and Birmingham made more claims than Manchester-based victims. Furthermore, only cases from London, Birmingham and Glasgow yielded more compensation from the CICA than the £4,122,727.13 offered to people from Manchester.

Low ‘success’ rate for physical attack victims

The average award for a successful Manchester applicant was £7,169.96. Payouts ranged significantly, with claimants receiving anything from £750 to just over £188,000.

303 people who claimed because of a physical assault received compensation. It means that only 18% of Manchester physical assault victims who claimed in the past three years received a share of the £1,380,034.13 total paid out by the CICA.

190 sexual abuse victims have received £2,079,859 between them, although 38 victims who recounted their experience to the CICA when claiming back in 2021/22 have yet to hear whether they will receive compensation.

It is not just the victims themselves who can claim via the CICA. Bereaved families made 34 funeral expense claims, with 23 claimants receiving £94,574 between them to cover costs.

Another 42 claimants successfully sought bereavement payments, receiving £398,790 between them.

Law firm encourages crime victims to explore compensation options

JF Law, a firm which represents criminal injury claimants on a daily basis, requested data from police forces to compare offence figures with claim volume.

Greater Manchester Police provided data for crimes of violence in Manchester that would theoretically see an injured victim qualify under the CICA’s eligibility rules.

The number of homicide, sexual assault, domestic abuse and other ‘violence with injury’ offences totalled 168,465 between April 2021 and March 2024.

Even when disregarding the fact that violent crimes can have multiple victims, the 2,545 claims is a mere 1.5% of that figure.

While not every victim will be eligible for a CICA claim, the tiny proportion suggests that many people are unaware of the CICA or unable to seek compensation for the harm they suffered.

Jessica Stewart, a claims specialist and advisor who works for JF Law, said: “There are thousands of victims of violent crime every year, and many of them may not realise that they have a right to seek compensation for the harm they’ve suffered.

“Some could assume that, since they can’t sue the offender or a third party that was vicariously liable, there’s nowhere to go.

“However, the CICA acts as a last resort and can pay out even if the offender hasn’t been charged or convicted although it will generally require sufficient evidence of co-operation with the Police and law enforcement and that the police were satisfied that, on the balance of probabilities, a crime of violence had taken place.

“The CICA can provide varying amounts of compensation, depending on the harm suffered and the impact on the person’s life. This payment can cover not just injuries, but expenses such as loss of earnings.  In certain circumstances, CICA may compensate qualifying relatives who have lost loved ones as a result of violent crime.

“Compensation may not undo the damage done by violent crime, but it could help the victim and their loved ones in the aftermath. By visiting a website like www.jflaw.co.uk, a person could learn not only if they can claim, but if an expert advisor can help them get the settlement they deserve.”

JF Law is a trusted law firm whose solicitors have years of combined experience in handling both criminal injury claims against perpetrators, and claims made through the CICA.

Those affected by violent crime can get a free claim assessment by calling 0151 375 9916 or using JF Law’s live chat service.

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