Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
[page 19]The Conservative-led coalition government made changes to the CICS Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme that reduced and withdrew compensation payments to many people injured in violent crimes, including those injured in work-related attacks. Before the changes, the scheme awarded compensation to between 30,000 and 40,000 people a year who were seriously injured in a crime of violence but could not obtain recompense from any other source, such as their assailant. Those who suffer minor injuries no longer get compensation under the changes.
They removed around 17,000 victims of violent crime from the scheme each year, including those with injuries like a smashed hand or an injury to the knee serious enough to require surgery. Thousands of workers who are injured because of criminal acts at work, such as shopworkers or security guards who are assaulted, are no longer compensated through the scheme.
UNISON points out that for an assault at work case to even be considered under the CICS, any assault (that results in significant injury) must be reported by the member (not their employer or union rep) to the police very quickly, usually within 24 hours.
To be eligible for any award via the CICS, the worker must have suffered a fairly significant injury and sought medical assistance via their GP or hospital to evidence this. This is because there is a minimum tariff in place to receive any award (of £1000).