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<p>The Government is committed to ensuring every victim gets the compensation to which
they are entitled, which is part of the wider package of general and specialist support
available to victims of crime. The government-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation
Scheme 2012 (the Scheme) exists to compensate for serious physical or psychological
injury attributable to being a direct victim of a crime of violence.</p><p> </p><p>Under
the 2012 Scheme there is a general time limit of two years from the date of the incident
giving rise to an injury to apply for compensation under the Scheme. In the 2012 Scheme
we introduced separate provisions for applicants who were aged under 18 years at the
time they sustained the injury that is the subject of their claim. In these circumstances,
if the incident was reported to the police before the applicant reached 18, an application
must be made before their 20th birthday. If the incident was reported after their
18th birthday, an application must be made within two years of the date it was first
reported. Additionally, the claims officer must be able to determine the case on the
evidence provided without further extensive enquiries. In all cases where a claim
is made outside of the applicable time limit they can be considered in exceptional
circumstances and where claims officers can determine the case on the evidence provided
without further extensive enquiries.</p><p> </p><p>Our recent review of whether the
Scheme could be simpler and more accessible for victims of violent crime, considered
how the time limits are working. Our 2020 consultation set out our findings that the
current rules appeared to allow sufficient opportunity for the majority of victims
to make a claim for compensation. The consultation included analysis of a three-year
caseload data set which showed that the proportion of claims refused on the grounds
of being “out of time” was small compared to refusals on other grounds, and that the
exceptional circumstances discretion was working well. 18% of personal injury cases
were submitted outside the two-year time limit, and of these 63% went on to receive
an award. Data demonstrated that of all rejected personal injury cases, only 4% (approximately
1,700 cases over the three year period) were rejected for being outside the two-year
time limit.</p><p> </p><p>The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (the Inquiry)
published its final report on 20 October 2022. We are considering carefully one of
the concluding recommendations to extend the time limit for victims of child sexual
abuse to seven years.</p><p> </p><p>Our conclusion to the Scheme review and response
to the Inquiry’s report will be shared in due course.</p>
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