Criminal Injuries Compensation
If you have been injured, psychologically or physically, as a result of violent crime, you may be able to claim compensation.
Unless there are good reasons, you should report the incident to the police as soon as possible after it happened and submit an application for compensation within two years of the date of the incident that caused the injury. The two year time limit may be waived if Compensation Services consider that there is good reason for the delay and it is in the interests of justice to do so.
You can deal with Compensation Services directly, or via a representative who may take part of your award as a fee. Victim Support NI has a Compensation Advocacy Service, which is free of charge. Our Advice Workers can help you with your application for a claim, give you information, and advocate for you during the process. Compensation is awarded according to a tariff scheme dependent on your injuries. Victim Support NI has been supporting victims through the process since 2002 when the tariff scheme was introduced, and our Advice Workers are experts in the scheme and how it works.
Reviews
If you do not agree with the decision on your application you are entitled to:
- Request a review of the decision, within 90 days of the original decision
- To have the review processed efficiently, fairly and afresh by a different claims officer than the officer who made the original decision
- Receive a clear explanation of the review decision
- Be given information on how to appeal the decision, including the procedure and time limits
You can appeal the result of the review to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel for NI. This panel is independent of Compensation Services and their decision is final.
For more information on the scheme, please visit our page on Criminal Injuries Compensation
