CICA Compensation for a Fatal Injury — UK Guide
When someone dies as a result of a violent crime, certain close relatives and dependants may be able to claim compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), separately from any criminal prosecution of the person responsible. A fatal injury claim can include a bereavement payment, dependency payments for those who relied on the person who died, a payment for children who have lost a parent, and help with funeral costs.
In this guide
- Who Can Claim? “Qualifying Relatives”
- The Bereavement Payment
- Dependency Payments
- The Child’s Payment
- Funeral Payments
- Claims by the Deceased’s Estate
- Time Limits
- Evidence That Supports a Fatal Injury Claim
- No Win No Fee Help With a Fatal Injury Claim
- Common Questions About Fatal Injury CICA Claims
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Injury
You can apply for a fatal injury payment through the same official CICA claim service used for all criminal injury claims. This guide explains who can claim, what each type of payment covers, and roughly what it’s worth. For the general eligibility rules that apply to all CICA claims, see our assault compensation claims guide and our CICA Eligibility & Tariff Guide.
Who Can Claim? “Qualifying Relatives”
To claim a bereavement or dependency payment, you must be what the Scheme calls a “qualifying relative”, as defined in the official criminal injuries compensation guide. This means you were, at the time of the death:
- The spouse or civil partner of the deceased, living with them in the same household
- The partner of the deceased (other than a spouse or civil partner), living with them in the same household for a continuous period of at least two years immediately before the death
- Someone who would satisfy the above, but did not live with the deceased because of either person’s ill health or infirmity
- The spouse, civil partner, or former spouse or civil partner of the deceased, if financially dependent on them
- A parent of the deceased
- A child of the deceased — this is not limited to children under 18, and includes adult children and a child born after the incident
Former spouses, civil partners, and anyone who was estranged from the deceased at the time of death are generally not eligible for a bereavement payment, though a former spouse or civil partner who was financially dependent on the deceased may still be able to claim a dependency payment.
The Bereavement Payment
The bereavement payment is a fixed amount recognising the loss itself, separate from any financial dependency. If there is a single qualifying relative, the payment is £11,000. If more than one person qualifies, the payment is £5,500 each. These figures are set out in the official criminal injuries compensation scheme injury payments tariff.
Dependency Payments
Financial Dependency
If you were financially dependent on the deceased — meaning they were making a material financial contribution to your upkeep — you may be able to claim a financial dependency payment. If the deceased was not in paid work at the time of death, you’ll need to show a good reason, such as full-time education, age, or caring responsibilities. CICA will not make a financial dependency payment where the deceased’s main income was social security benefits.
The payment is calculated at the weekly rate of statutory sick pay in force at the date the case is decided, over the relevant period of dependency, and paid as a lump sum. Where more than one qualifying relative is financially dependent, the weekly amount is divided equally between them, with each remaining claimant’s share increasing as others drop out of eligibility — for example, when a dependent child turns 18.
Physical Dependency
If the deceased was your main carer — meeting the majority of your day-to-day care needs, such as help with personal hygiene, continence management, food preparation, medication, or keeping you safe from harm — you may be able to claim a physical dependency payment, assessed in a similar way to a care and supervision claim in a standard personal injury case.
The Child’s Payment
Separately from financial dependency, a child who was under 18 at the time of death and dependent on the deceased for parental services can receive a child’s payment. This is a fixed sum of £2,000 for each full year (proportionally reduced for part years) running from the date of death until the day before the child’s 18th birthday, intended to recognise the loss of the everyday care, supervision, and attention a parent provides.
Funeral Payments
Where someone has died as a result of a criminal injury, CICA can make a payment towards funeral costs for the benefit of their estate, and you do not need to be a qualifying relative to apply for this. A flat rate of £2,500 is paid once eligibility is established, to cover the basic cost of a funeral, with a further payment of up to £2,500 available where the particular circumstances justify a higher cost — a maximum of £5,000 in total.
Claims by the Deceased’s Estate
If the victim survived for a period after the incident before dying, their estate may be able to claim for any special expenses they incurred before death, such as medical costs. This is separate from the bereavement, dependency, and funeral payments made to relatives, and no payment is made to surviving relatives for the deceased’s own injuries — any amount already paid to the victim while they were alive is deducted from later awards.
Time Limits
As with other CICA claims, you generally have two years to apply — for fatal cases, this runs from the date of death rather than the date of the underlying incident, which matters where a victim survives for some time before dying of their injuries. See our CICA two-year time limit guide for the exceptions that can extend this.
Evidence That Supports a Fatal Injury Claim
- A death certificate and evidence of the police investigation or prosecution
- Proof of your relationship to the deceased, such as a marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of cohabitation
- Evidence of financial dependency, such as payslips, bank statements, or household bills in joint names
- Funeral invoices and receipts
- Evidence of any caring role the deceased carried out for you, if claiming physical dependency
No Win No Fee Help With a Fatal Injury Claim
Claims Bible can match you with a panel solicitor to handle a fatal injury CICA claim on a no win no fee basis, at what is often an extremely difficult time. You pay nothing upfront and nothing if the claim is unsuccessful. Read more on our how no win no fee works guide.
Common Questions About Fatal Injury CICA Claims
More than one family member wants to claim. How does that work?
Each person who meets the definition of a qualifying relative can bring their own claim. Where more than one person qualifies for the bereavement payment, each receives £5,500 rather than the single-claimant amount of £11,000, and financial dependency payments are similarly divided between qualifying dependants.
I was separated from the deceased but not divorced. Can I still claim?
This depends on whether you were estranged at the time of death. Separated-but-not-estranged spouses or civil partners may still qualify, but genuine estrangement is likely to prevent a bereavement claim, though a dependency payment may still be possible if you were financially reliant on the deceased. This is a fact-specific question worth getting individual advice on.
I was living with my partner for 18 months, not two years. Can I claim?
The two-year cohabitation requirement for unmarried partners is applied fairly strictly, so falling short of it is likely to prevent a bereavement claim under that specific category. It’s worth getting advice, since other qualifying categories, such as financial dependency, may still apply to your situation.
Can an adult child of the deceased claim?
Yes. The definition of “child” for these purposes is not limited to children under 18, so adult children of the deceased can qualify as a bereaved relative, though the child’s payment specifically is only available to children who were under 18 at the time of death.
How long does a fatal injury CICA claim take?
Fatal claims often take longer than standard injury claims, partly because CICA may wait for a criminal investigation or inquest to conclude, and partly because dependency calculations can be complex where multiple relatives are involved. See our how long does a claim take guide for general timelines.
Related Guides
Assault Compensation Claims — UK Guide (CICA)
CICA Eligibility & Tariff Guide
The CICA Two-Year Time Limit Explained
CICA Tariff Bands & Compensation Amounts
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