Attacks on retail workers double alongside abuse, figures show

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Violent attacks and abuse against shop workers doubled in 2023, shocking figures show.

The statistics from leading trade body, the British Retail Consortium’s crime survey revealed that the number of incidents rose to 1,300 a day last year, up from 870 a day the year before.

Attacks on retail workers

The rise comes despite retailers investing heavily in crime prevention, spending £1.2bn on measures such as CCTV, increased security personnel, and body-worn cameras, up from £722m the previous year.

Meanwhile, the cost of theft to retailers went up to £1.8bn from £953m the previous year, meaning the total cost of crime to retailers stood at £3.3bn – double the previous year.

Retail experts are now calling for more to be done to protect workers.

Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said:

“Criminals are being given a free pass to steal goods and to abuse and assault retail colleagues. No one should have to go to work fearing for their safety.

“The Protection of Workers Act in Scotland already provides additional protection to retail workers, so why should our hardworking colleagues south of the border be offered less protection? It is vital that government takes action – introducing a new standalone offence for assaulting or abusing a retail worker.

“Teenagers taking on their first job, carers looking for part-time work, parents working around childcare. And while the violence can be over in a moment, the victims carry these experiences with them for a lifetime.”

The BRC’s annual crime survey highlights the scale of violence and abuse faced by people working in retail. Incidents, which include racial abuse, sexual harassment, physical assault, and threats with weapons, are now on a par with the levels seen during the pandemic, when staff bore the brunt of some people’s frustration with Covid safety measures.

While the total number of incidents climbed, dissatisfaction with the police increased, with 60% of respondents describing the police response to incidents as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

Retailers are calling on the Government to introduce a standalone offence of assaulting, threatening, or abusing a retail worker. This would send a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated, making retail workers feel safer in the workplace.

It would also mean the police have data that allows them to understand the scale of the issue, and to allocate sufficient resources to deal with to ensure that retail workers have the same protection under the law as they do in Scotland, where a similar offence was introduced in 2021.

Abused or attacked at work – what can I do?

If you have been abused or violently attacked at work, you may be entitled to claim against the perpetrator. If you have been the victim of a violent crime, in a relevant place, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 (CICA) may cover the offence.

The CICA is designed to compensate blameless victims of violent crimes including physical and sexual assaults. The CICA has been revised in 2001, 2008 and 2012 and compensates for over 300 different injuries.

Individuals may be eligible for an award if they sustain a criminal injury directly attributable to being a direct victim of a crime of violence committed in a relevant place.

What is a ‘Crime of Violence’?

The CICA defines a ‘Crime of Violence’ as a crime which, by intention or recklessness, involves any of the following:

A physical attack
Any other act (or failure to act) of a violent nature which causes physical injury to a person
A threat against a person causing fear of immediate violence
Sexual assault
Arson

What is a ‘Relevant Place’?

A relevant place means Great Britain. However, there are also some further niche areas that fall under the CICA’s definition. This includes a British-controlled aircraft, a British-controlled hovercraft, or a lighthouse off the coast of Great Britain.

Can my conduct or previous convictions affect my eligibility?

The CICA has the power to apply reductions or even outright reject an application if, before, during, or after the incident giving rise to a criminal injury, the applicant’s conduct makes it inappropriate to make an award or full award.

In some circumstances, it may reduce or even withhold a compensation award where an applicant has previous criminal convictions. This is largely dependent on whether a conviction is ‘spent’ or ‘unspent’. Simply put, each conviction has a period in which it remains relevant in law until it has elapsed. This time differs depending on the severity of the offence.

Some criminal offences, while unspent, will completely restrict the CICA’s ability to grant compensation to an individual. Some examples are as follows:

Time limits

As a general rule, the crime must have taken place within the last two years to put in a criminal injury application to the CICA. There can be exceptions to this rule if, due to exceptional circumstances, the applicant could not have applied earlier.

If an applicant was a child under the age of 18 on the date of the criminal incident, they have until they turn 20 years old to submit a claim.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the police have been known to tell an individual not to put in a claim to the CICA until after a criminal investigation has concluded however this can put you in severe danger of missing the pre-imposed deadlines that have been set.

How does the CICA assess injuries based on the tariff?

The CICA introduced a statutory scheme in 1996 that has undergone multiple amendments over the past two decades. The current Scheme (the 2012 edition), contains an injury tariff that provides for multiple common injuries ranging in severity and value.

Common awards include:

A fractured jaw bone resulting in ongoing problems. This would be valued at £3,500 and could rise to £6,200 if an operation had taken place.
Facial scarring causing serious disfigurement. This could be valued up to £11,000.
Injuries resulting in permanent tinnitus which is very severe can be valued at £16,500.
Loss of teeth could be valued up to £3,500.

A permanent and seriously disabling psychological injury, with a potential value of up to £27,000.

How to make a claim

If you have suffered a violent attack at work, you may be entitled to make a claim for the damages.

The team of experts at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd agrees to work on your CICA criminal injury claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny.

If you are successful in your claim, we take a percentage of the compensation meaning that the only time we will receive money is if we have brought your claim to a fruitful conclusion.

You will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have. If it is preferable to you, we are able to assign you one of our female advisors to carry out your claim.

Your case handler will also continue to provide regular updates until the conclusion of your claim, ensuring the process is as stress-free and effortless as possible.

Abuse and violent attacks on retail workers double, figures show