News In Focus

Government backtracks on criminal injuries compensation cut

11 September 2012

Plans to restrict criminal injuries compensation payments to victims of serious crime have been dropped by the UK Government.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) had intended to end payments for less serious injuries such as sprains and fractures, in an attempt to save £50m of the £449m currently paid out each year. However in a change of heart it announced today that: "We have listened to the views expressed in Parliament and will now consider our next steps."

The Government had defended the proposed move by saying that the scheme needed to focus resources on the victims who were most seriously affected by injuries suffered, and that the provision of support services for victims at the point of need was a better use of money than "small amounts of compensation, in some cases long after the incident involved, for relatively minor injuries".

However Javed Khan, chief executive of Victim Support said: "As the charity for victims of crime we are pleased the Government has decided to abandon its plans to cut compensation for victims of less serious crimes.

"This turnaround shows the Government is listening to victims of crime and taking action to make their needs a priority."