CICA claims and timescales FAQ

It is extremely common for applicants to the CICA scheme to be confused and even frustrated by the length of time it takes for their claim to complete.

Simply put, it is the unfortunate nature of most CICA claims that they are not quick to complete. This is broadly because as a government scheme providing government money, the CICA often have a very high caseload.

The CICA therefore advise that on average claims will take 12-18 months to complete and although this is not guaranteed, it is uncommon for claims to complete quicker than this.

Why is my claim taking so long?

There could be many reasons why your claim appears to be taking a while. These could include, but are not limited to, the following reasons:

• The police are not responding promptly to the CICA’s requests for information
• The CICA have an extensive workload and many claims to address
• You have delayed in providing any requested evidence to the CICA
• Medical professionals have delayed in providing any requested evidence to the CICA
• You have reviewed or appealed a CICA decision (the average 12-18 month time scale no longer applies after a decision is challenged by an applicant)
• You have impending criminal convictions

Please note, due to the nature of how the CICA work it can often appear that your claim is taking a while when in fact it is within the CICA’s usual time scales. It is important to keep in mind that CICA time scales are not equivalent to day to day time scales.

What can my representative do to make my claim complete faster?

As your representatives we will provide you with monthly updates on your claim position and will monitor the CICA’s progress with your claim closely. Where we feel that the CICA need pushing in regard to time scales, we will undertake this for you and use all the tools available to progress your claim.

We can undertake a range of actions on your behalf including:

• Requesting monthly updates
• Consulting with the CICA for more information about their progress with your claim
• Submitting complaints to the CICA about the length of time taken to progress
• Monitoring the CICA’s progress in light of their average time scales

What can I do to make my claim complete faster?

The CICA claim process requires that you co-operate with the CICA. Even if you have a legal representative, you will need to work with them to complete your claim. To ensure you co-operate as best as possible, you should:

• Inform your representative of any changes to your contact details
• Reply to your legal representatives requests for information promptly
• Advise your representative of any issues you are having in obtaining information
• Ask your representative if you have any concerns or issues with the claim

Further reading

Criminal Injury Claims – Oakwood Solicitors Ltd

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority – Gov.uk

WHAT TO DO NEXT

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