Sexual Assault Compensation Claims (CICA)
Sexual assault — including rape, sexual offences, and indecent assault — is a category of crime where the UK Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) provides important financial recognition of harm to survivors. Beyond CICA, civil claims may be possible against the perpetrator (where identified) and sometimes against institutions or employers where their failures enabled the abuse. This is a sensitive area of UK personal injury law that operates with specific support frameworks, longer time limits in many cases, and particular attention to survivor wellbeing throughout the process. Compensation cannot undo the harm — but it can provide practical recognition and support for recovery, treatment, and rebuilding life.
In this guide
- Two Main Compensation Routes
- CICA Sexual Offence Tariff
- Time Limits
- Police Reporting
- Civil Claims Against Institutions
- Practical Approach to Claims
- Special Considerations
- Evidence Requirements
- No Win No Fee Sexual Offence Claims
- Common Questions About Sexual Offence Claims
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Injury
This guide explains how UK sexual assault compensation claims work, the routes available, time limits, and how to obtain specialist support sensitively. If you are a survivor seeking immediate support, organisations including Rape Crisis (rapecrisis.org.uk, 0808 802 9999), Survivors UK (for male survivors), and The Survivors Trust offer specialist help.
Two Main Compensation Routes
Route 1 — Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)
CICA is the state-funded scheme for victims of violent crime, including sexual offences:
- No requirement to identify the perpetrator
- No requirement for conviction
- No requirement for the perpetrator to have resources
- State-funded payment
- Tariff-based amounts
CICA is often the primary route — particularly where the perpetrator is unknown, deceased, or judgment-proof. See our CICA eligibility guide.
Route 2 — Civil Claims
Where the perpetrator (or institution that failed survivors) can be sued:
- Individual perpetrator with assets
- Institutional defendants (schools, churches, care homes, employers)
- Insurance-backed defendants
- Higher damages than CICA tariff
Civil claims work best against institutional defendants with insurance coverage.
CICA Sexual Offence Tariff
Specific Tariff Categories
CICA has specific tariff awards for sexual offences:
- Minor — £1,000
- Moderate — £2,000
- Severe — £3,300
- Single incident — £11,000
- Repeated incidents over period — £16,500
- Repeated incidents over longer period — £22,000
- Resulting in permanent disabling injury or disease — £27,000+
For child sexual abuse spanning years:
- Substantial awards reflecting pattern
- Multiple offence types considered
- Highest CICA tariff sexual offence awards
Plus Additional Elements
CICA awards can also include:
- Loss of earnings (where unable to work)
- Special expenses (treatment, equipment)
- Mental injury (additional bracket)
- Total cap of £500,000
Mental Injury Awards
PTSD and other mental health consequences:
- Disabling mental injury lasting under 28 weeks — £1,000-£2,500
- Disabling mental injury lasting 6 weeks to 1 year — £3,500
- Disabling mental injury lasting 1-5 years — £6,200
- Disabling mental injury lasting more than 5 years — £13,500
- Permanently disabling mental injury — £22,000-£27,000+
For sexual offence cases, mental injury awards often form a substantial component of total CICA compensation.
Time Limits
CICA Time Limit
Standard CICA time limit:
- 2 years from the incident
- Police report required (typically within 48 hours of incident or within 2 years)
Extensions for Sexual Offences
CICA recognises that sexual offence reporting is often delayed:
- Extensions routinely granted for sexual offences
- Particularly for historic child abuse
- Where police reported after the event
- Where there are good reasons for delay
CICA assesses extensions sensitively, recognising the specific dynamics of sexual abuse disclosure.
Child Sexual Abuse Specifically
For abuse during childhood:
- Time runs from disclosure to authorities (not date of incident) in many cases
- Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) recommendations have influenced practice
- CICA increasingly accommodates delayed disclosure
Civil Claim Time Limits
Civil claims for sexual offences:
- Standard 6-year limitation for assault (some authorities differ)
- For child claimants, runs from 18th birthday
- Date of knowledge provisions may extend (psychological understanding of harm)
- Court has discretion to extend in some circumstances
See our historic abuse claims guide.
Police Reporting
CICA Reporting Requirement
CICA requires police reporting:
- Typically within 48 hours of incident (or within 2 years)
- For historic abuse, reporting upon disclosure
- Crime reference number needed
- Cooperation with investigation expected
Specialist Support
UK specialist resources for sexual offence reporting:
- Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)
- Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs)
- Rape Crisis support
- Survivors Trust resources
- Specialist police units
Anonymous Reporting
Limited but available routes:
- SARC reporting without immediate police involvement
- Some support for those not ready for full police engagement
- Crimestoppers anonymous reporting
Not All Cases Result in Prosecution
Compensation does not require conviction:
- CICA pays where evidence supports the claim, even without conviction
- CPS evidential threshold (50 per cent prospect of conviction) different from CICA standard
- Civil claims operate on “balance of probabilities” (51 per cent) — lower than criminal
Civil Claims Against Institutions
Where Institutional Liability Applies
Institutions can be liable where their failures enabled abuse:
- Schools and educational institutions
- Religious organisations
- Care homes and children’s homes
- Sports clubs
- Children’s organisations
- Healthcare settings
- Employer settings
Vicarious Liability
Following Supreme Court decisions including Various Claimants v Catholic Child Welfare Society (2012), institutions can be vicariously liable for abuse by:
- Employees acting in connection with their role
- Sometimes those in similar relationships to employment
Recent UK case law has refined and sometimes restricted these principles — specialist legal analysis is essential.
Direct Liability
Institutions can also be directly liable for:
- Negligent hiring (not checking suitability)
- Negligent supervision
- Failure to act on concerns or reports
- Inadequate safeguarding procedures
- Cover-up or facilitation
IICSA Recommendations
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse made recommendations including:
- Civil redress scheme
- Mandatory reporting
- Improved compensation routes
Government response continues to develop these recommendations.
Practical Approach to Claims
Specialist Solicitors
Sexual offence compensation requires specialist solicitors:
- Sensitive handling
- Specific procedural knowledge
- CICA application expertise
- Institutional defendant experience
- Coordination with criminal proceedings where relevant
Many specialist firms offer dedicated abuse claim teams with trauma-informed practice.
Trauma-Informed Practice
Modern claim handling includes:
- Survivor-centred approach
- Pace controlled by the survivor
- Single point of contact where possible
- Coordination with therapeutic support
- Minimising re-traumatisation
Coordination with Therapy and Support
Claims process can be coordinated with:
- Counselling and therapy
- ISVA support
- Specialist support services
- Medical treatment
Special Considerations
Anonymity
Sexual offence survivors have important anonymity rights:
- Lifetime anonymity in reporting
- Reporting restrictions
- Civil proceedings can be conducted with anonymity protections
- CICA process is confidential
Children’s Cases
For children:
- Litigation friend acts on their behalf
- Time runs from 18th birthday for civil claims
- CICA reasonable time considerations
- Specialist children’s solicitors
See our claiming for a child guide.
Family Member Cases
Where abuse occurred within families:
- CICA originally restricted family abuse claims (subsequently changed)
- Now generally accepts family abuse claims
- Complex emotional dynamics handled sensitively
Evidence Requirements
CICA Evidence
- Police report and crime reference
- Medical evidence of injury
- Therapeutic records (where available)
- GP records
- Specialist psychiatric assessment
- Witness statements where applicable
Civil Claim Evidence
Additional evidence often gathered:
- Detailed survivor statement
- Institutional records
- Documentary evidence of failures
- Expert evidence on impact
- Family witness statements
No Win No Fee Sexual Offence Claims
Sexual offence claims run on no win no fee arrangements. CICA cases have specific fee arrangements. 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. After-the-Event insurance protects against adverse costs. The ATE premium is normally payable only if you win, deducted from your compensation — it is no longer recoverable from the defendant — and your solicitor must explain how the premium and disbursements are treated before you sign (see how ATE insurance works). See our how no win no fee works guide.
Common Questions About Sexual Offence Claims
The assault happened years ago. Is it too late to claim?
Probably not — and specialist advice is important. CICA increasingly accommodates delayed reporting of sexual offences, recognising the dynamics of disclosure. Civil claims have specific time limit considerations, with date of knowledge provisions sometimes extending the limit substantially. For historic abuse, both CICA and civil routes regularly accept claims from many years after events. The first step is specialist confidential consultation to assess your specific situation.
I do not want to face my abuser in court. Can I still claim?
Almost always yes. CICA is a paper-based process — you do not face the perpetrator. For civil claims, settlement without trial is the norm in over 95 per cent of cases. Where trial is required, special measures protect survivors (screens, video link, anonymity). You retain control over the process throughout. Specialist solicitors handle cases sensitively and avoid unnecessary distress.
The perpetrator was never convicted. 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” (51 per cent likelihood) — lower than criminal “beyond reasonable doubt”. Many successful compensation cases involved no conviction or even no prosecution. Acquittal does not prevent compensation claims.
Will my CICA award affect my benefits?
It can if not protected. CICA awards count as capital for means-tested benefits. Personal Injury Trusts protect awards from benefit assessment. Specialist solicitors arrange PIT setup as a standard part of substantial CICA cases. See our compensation and benefits guide.
What if the perpetrator works for the same employer as me?
Important considerations apply. You retain full rights to compensation. UK law prohibits dismissal or detriment for making a complaint or claim. Workplace sexual assault may also engage employer liability — particularly where supervision was inadequate. Both criminal complaint and civil compensation can proceed. Specialist solicitors can also advise on employment law dimensions where relevant.
How can I get support while pursuing a claim?
Multiple specialist UK support services exist:
- Rape Crisis — rapecrisis.org.uk, 0808 802 9999
- Survivors UK (for male survivors)
- The Survivors Trust — thesurvivorstrust.org
- Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs)
- NAPAC (for adult survivors of childhood abuse)
- Local Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)
Specialist solicitors often work in close coordination with these services to provide holistic support during compensation claims.
Related Guides
Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA) Claims
CICA Eligibility | Who Can Claim?
CICA Tariff Bands & Compensation Amounts
Historic Abuse Claims | CICA & Civil Routes
Domestic Violence Compensation Claims
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