Domestic Violence Compensation Claims
Domestic abuse — including physical violence, sexual abuse, coercive control, and economic abuse within intimate or family relationships — is one of the most serious categories of UK crime, affecting an estimated 2.4 million adults annually according to Office for National Statistics figures. The UK Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) provides important financial recognition of harm to survivors, while civil claims may be possible against the perpetrator where they have resources or against third parties whose failures enabled the abuse. Recent reforms — including the abolition of the “same-roof rule” in 2019 — have substantially expanded compensation access for historic family abuse cases. Specialist trauma-informed legal support, often coordinated with refuge and advocacy services, is essential for navigating these claims sensitively.
In this guide
- What Is Domestic Abuse?
- Two Main Compensation Routes
- The Same-Roof Rule and Its Abolition
- CICA Tariff for Domestic Violence
- Time Limits
- Police Reporting Considerations
- Civil Claims Against Perpetrators
- Third-Party Liability
- Special Considerations for Domestic Violence Survivors
- PTSD and Complex PTSD
- Evidence Considerations
- No Win No Fee Domestic Violence Claims
- Common Questions About Domestic Violence Compensation
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Injury
This guide explains how UK domestic violence compensation claims work, the routes available, and how to obtain specialist support. If you need immediate help, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline runs 24/7 on 0808 2000 247 (Refuge), and Men’s Advice Line is available on 0808 8010 327.
What Is Domestic Abuse?
Statutory Definition
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse broadly as behaviour:
- Between people aged 16 or over
- Who are personally connected
- That consists of physical or sexual abuse
- Or violent or threatening behaviour
- Or controlling or coercive behaviour
- Or economic abuse
- Or psychological, emotional, or other abuse
“Personally Connected”
Includes:
- Married or civil partners
- Engaged or in agreement
- Cohabiting partners
- Former partners
- Parents of the same child
- Family relatives
Categories of Abuse
- Assault and battery
- Strangulation (specific offence since 2022)
- Use of weapons
- Acid attacks
- Sexual violence
Specific offence under Section 76 Serious Crime Act 2015:
- Pattern of controlling or coercive behaviour
- Isolation from support
- Monitoring and surveillance
- Threats and intimidation
- Deprivation of basic needs
- Control over money and finances
- Preventing work or earning
- Sabotaging employment
- Destruction of property
- Coerced debt
Includes spousal rape (criminalised in 1991):
- Rape within marriage or relationship
- Other sexual offences
- Coerced sexual activity
See our sexual assault claims guide.
Two Main Compensation Routes
Route 1 — Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
CICA is the primary route for most domestic violence survivors:
- State-funded scheme
- No requirement for perpetrator to have resources
- No requirement for conviction
- Tariff-based payments
- Available regardless of perpetrator relationship
See our CICA eligibility guide.
Route 2 — Civil Claim Against Perpetrator
Where the perpetrator has resources:
- Standard tort claim for assault, battery, intentional infliction of harm
- Full damages recoverable
- Practical difficulties with enforcement
- Sometimes against insurance (rare)
The Same-Roof Rule and Its Abolition
The Historic Restriction
Pre-2019 CICA included a “same-roof rule”:
- Excluded compensation where claimant and perpetrator lived in same household
- Particularly affected family abuse and intimate partner violence
- Pre-October 1979 cases entirely excluded
- 1979-1990s — same-roof exclusion remained
2019 Reform — In 2019, the same-roof rule was abolished:
- Survivors who lived with their abuser can now claim
- Includes historic cases from any period
- Reopened compensation access for many survivors
- Specific time limit considerations apply
Re-Application by Previously Refused Survivors
Survivors previously refused under the same-roof rule can now apply:
- Within 2 years of June 2019 (extended limit)
- Some flexibility for late applications
- Specialist solicitors handle re-applications
CICA Tariff for Domestic Violence
Physical Injury Tariff
Standard CICA tariff applies:
- Minor injury — £1,000-£2,500
- Moderate injury (fractures, significant injury) — £3,500-£11,000
- Significant injury — £11,000-£33,000
- Severe injury — £33,000-£175,000
- Catastrophic injury — £175,000-£250,000
Sexual Offence Tariff
Where domestic violence included sexual offences:
- Sexual assault tariff (£1,000-£27,000+)
- Pattern of sexual abuse can produce higher awards
- Combined with physical injury tariff (subject to caps)
Mental Injury Awards
Particularly significant for domestic violence:
- Disabling mental injury under 28 weeks — £1,000-£2,500
- Disabling mental injury 6 weeks to 1 year — £3,500
- Disabling mental injury 1-5 years — £6,200
- Disabling mental injury more than 5 years — £13,500
- Permanently disabling mental injury — £22,000-£27,000+
For sustained domestic abuse, mental injury awards often form a substantial component of total compensation.
Loss of Earnings
Where abuse caused inability to work:
- Lost earnings recoverable (subject to caps)
- Career impact considered
- Future loss possible in severe cases
Special Expenses
- Specialist treatment costs
- Therapy costs
- Specialist equipment
- Travel for treatment
Time Limits
Standard CICA Time Limit
- 2 years from the incident
- Police report typically required
- Cooperation with investigation expected
Extensions for Domestic Violence
CICA recognises specific dynamics of domestic abuse:
- Survivors often cannot report safely during the abuse
- Reporting may be delayed by ongoing fear
- Extensions routinely granted with reasonable explanation
- Particular flexibility for coercive control cases
Historic Cases
- Pre-2019 cases now accessible due to same-roof rule abolition
- Specialist time limit handling
- Multiple decades of abuse can be considered
Civil Claim Time Limits
- Standard 3-year personal injury limit
- For assault, 6 years (in some authorities)
- Date of knowledge provisions may extend
- Section 33 court discretion
See our time limits guide.
Police Reporting Considerations
CICA Reporting Requirement
CICA requires:
- Police report at some point
- Crime reference number
- Cooperation with any investigation
Safe Reporting
For domestic violence, safe reporting requires planning:
- Refuge support during reporting
- IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Adviser) coordination
- Police specialist domestic violence units
- MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference) where high risk
Where Reporting Is Currently Unsafe
CICA accepts delayed reporting where safety is at risk:
- Reporting once safe to do so
- Specialist solicitors document reasons for delay
- Extensions routinely granted
Civil Claims Against Perpetrators
Standard Tort Claims
Civil claims can be brought for:
- Assault and battery
- Trespass to person
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Negligence (where applicable)
Practical Considerations
Civil claims against perpetrators face practical issues:
- Often limited assets
- No insurance coverage typically
- Enforcement difficulties
- Continued contact concerns
When Civil Claims Make Sense
- Where perpetrator has substantial assets
- Where perpetrator inherited or expects inheritance
- Where joint property exists
- Where matrimonial finance proceedings ongoing
Coordination with Family Law
Civil compensation can be coordinated with:
- Divorce financial proceedings
- Property settlements
- Child arrangements proceedings
Specialist solicitors handle the coordination.
Third-Party Liability
Police Failures
Where police failures contributed to ongoing abuse:
- Article 2 ECHR claims (right to life)
- Article 3 ECHR claims (freedom from inhuman treatment)
- Following Osman v United Kingdom (1998) and subsequent cases
- Specific operational failure requirements
Statutory Authority Failures
Where housing, social services, or other authorities failed:
- Negligence claims possible in limited circumstances
- Human Rights Act claims sometimes
- High threshold but increasingly successful cases
Employer Liability
Where workplace violence by partner occurred:
- Employer may have duties to protect employees from known threats
- Domestic abuse safety policies
- Reasonable workplace measures
Special Considerations for Domestic Violence Survivors
Coordination with Refuge and Support Services
Compensation claims typically run alongside:
- Refuge accommodation
- IDVA support
- Outreach services
- Specialist counselling
Children’s Compensation
Children who witnessed or experienced abuse:
- Separate CICA claims possible
- Psychological impact of witnessing recognised
- Time runs from 18th birthday
- Specialist children’s representation
See our claiming for a child guide.
Confidentiality and Safety
Claims process accommodates safety needs:
- Anonymity protections
- Confidential communications
- Safe meeting arrangements
- Coordination with safeguarding measures
No Recourse to Public Funds Considerations
For survivors with immigration concerns:
- Domestic violence concessions in immigration rules
- Specialist immigration legal support
- Coordination with refuge specialists
PTSD and Complex PTSD
Domestic abuse typically produces severe psychological consequences:
- PTSD (very common)
- Complex PTSD from sustained abuse
- Depression and anxiety
- Substance abuse
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation
- Long-term relationship difficulties
Specialist psychiatric evidence is essential for substantial claims. See our PTSD compensation amounts guide.
Evidence Considerations
CICA Evidence
- Police reports and crime references
- Medical records (A&E attendances, GP records)
- IDVA records
- Refuge records
- MARAC records
- Photographs of injuries
- Civil court orders (occupation orders, non-molestation orders)
Specialist Reports
- Psychiatric assessment
- Specialist domestic abuse expert
- Sometimes coercive control expert
No Win No Fee Domestic Violence Claims
Domestic violence claims run on no win no fee arrangements. CICA cases have specific fee structures. Civil claims operate under Conditional Fee Agreements with the success fee — capped under LASPO 2012 at 25 per cent of general damages and past losses (future losses excluded) — deducted from compensation. Specialist trauma-informed solicitors handle these cases sensitively. See our how no win no fee works guide.
Common Questions About Domestic Violence Compensation
I lived with my abuser. Can I still claim through CICA?
Yes. The same-roof rule was abolished in 2019. Previous CICA versions excluded compensation where claimant and perpetrator lived together — but this restriction no longer applies. Survivors of intimate partner violence and family abuse can now claim CICA regardless of cohabitation. Historic cases can also be reopened. Specialist solicitors handle same-roof rule reform applications routinely.
I was abused years ago. Is it too late?
Probably not. CICA accommodates delayed reporting for domestic violence with extensions routinely granted. Historic abuse (particularly involving coercive control or sustained patterns) is increasingly recognised. The 2019 reforms specifically addressed historic same-roof cases. Specialist solicitors handle limitation issues routinely. The first step is confidential consultation to assess your specific situation.
The police did not prosecute. Can I still claim?
Yes. Compensation does not require conviction. CICA pays where evidence supports the claim on its own standard (lower than criminal). Civil claims operate on “balance of probabilities” — lower than criminal “beyond reasonable doubt”. Many successful UK domestic violence compensation cases involved no prosecution. Police decisions about prosecution depend on factors beyond just the evidence (witness availability, public interest), and do not determine compensation eligibility.
My partner controlled all our finances. Can I claim for that?
Possibly. Coercive control became a specific offence under Section 76 Serious Crime Act 2015. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 expanded the definition of abuse to include economic abuse. CICA tariff awards apply for the psychological injury caused. Civil claims may also address economic harm. Financial dimensions can also be addressed through divorce financial proceedings where applicable.
I am worried my abuser will find out about the claim. Is the process safe?
Specialist arrangements protect survivor safety:
- Confidential CICA process
- Civil proceedings can include anonymity orders
- Safe communication arrangements
- Coordination with refuge or IDVA support
- No requirement for perpetrator notification in CICA
Specialist solicitors handle these claims with full awareness of safety considerations.
Where can I get support while pursuing a claim?
Multiple specialist UK services exist:
- Refuge — National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 (24/7)
- Women’s Aid — womensaid.org.uk
- Men’s Advice Line — mensadviceline.org.uk, 0808 8010 327
- Galop (LGBT+ specific) — galop.org.uk, 0800 999 5428
- SafeLives (specialist support and IDVAs)
- Local refuges and outreach services
Specialist domestic abuse solicitors typically work in close coordination with these services to provide holistic support throughout claims.
Related Guides
Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA) Claims
CICA Eligibility | Who Can Claim?
CICA Tariff Bands & Compensation Amounts
Sexual Assault Compensation Claims (CICA)
Historic Abuse Claims | CICA & Civil Routes
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