Grooming is a serious and highly damaging crime that can affect people of all ages in very different ways. We’ve created this guide to grooming compensation claims to advise when compensation could be sought and how our expert solicitors can support you throughout the claims process.
Key Takeaways
- A claim for grooming compensation can be made directly against the perpetrator, a vicariously liable party or through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
- Grooming refers to a prolonged period of coercion and abuse, and potentially sexual exploitation, including historical abuse occurrences.
- Compensation for costs, including lost earnings, domestic care and support and the administration of your affairs, can all be sought.
- We work with highly qualified, experienced and knowledgeable solicitors who can offer their services on a strictly No Win No Fee basis.
- SACA’s dedicated advice lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can speak to us whenever it suits you.
Reach us at any time using the contact details provided here:
- Call us on 0333 091 8597.
- You can contact us online by completing a callback form.
- Or, click the live chat window at the bottom of your screen now.
Browse This Page
- Can I Make A Claim For Grooming Compensation?
- What If A Grooming Claim Cannot Be Made Against The Perpetrator?
- What Compensation Could Be Given For Grooming Claims?
- How Is The Final Amount Of Grooming Compensation Determined?
- How Long Is The Grooming Compensation Claim Time Limit?
- What Can A Solicitor Help With When Claiming For Grooming Compensation?
- More Information
Can I Make A Claim For Grooming Compensation?
Yes, you could make a claim for grooming compensation either against the perpetrator, a vicariously liable party (such as your place of work or an educational institution, for failing to protect you), or through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
It would need to be proven that the vicariously liable party knew about the danger you were in and did not take adequate steps to protect you. So, if concerns about your safety had been raised to the school, or your place of work, and nothing was done which led to the grooming, then they could be deemed vicariously liable.
Can Grooming Compensation Claims Be Made On Behalf Of A Loved One?
Yes, grooming compensation claims can be made on behalf of loved ones if those persons are unable to claim for themselves. This includes the victim being a minor or not having the mental capacity to claim on their own.
You would need to be appointed as a litigation friend in order to have the authority to direct the proceedings on their behalf. You can learn about being a litigation friend by talking to our advisors.
What If A Grooming Claim Cannot Be Made Against The Perpetrator?
Claims that cannot be made against perpetrators or a vicariously liable institution are made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA is a government-sponsored executive agency that gives the victims of violent crimes a means of claiming compensation if other avenues are unavailable. Compensation is CICA claims is awarded in line with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
The requirements to make a CICA claim are:
- You were harmed in a crime of violence as defined by Annexe B of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, which includes a threat against a person, causing fear of immediate violence in circumstances which would cause a person of reasonable firmness to be put in such fear, which also includes cases of grooming.
- That crime took place in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales) or another relevant place.
- You reported this crime to the police.
Following RN v CICA [2023] EWCA Civ 882, the Court of Appeal held that a victim of serious, non-touching sexual grooming and threats could be eligible for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
If you would like to discuss your particular case and receive free advice, you can contact our friendly team of advisors today.
What Compensation Could Be Given For Grooming Claims?
Compensation for grooming claims can be paid out under two different heads of loss. These are:
- General damages for the physical and psychological harm caused.
- Special damages for associated financial losses. We’ll cover claims for costs in the next section.
Solicitors can refer to your medical documents alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to value your claim. The JCG publication contains guideline compensation brackets for various types of injuries. Brackets for PTSD, as well as physical abuse, have been used in the table below.
Compensation Table
Please be advised that the first entry was not taken from the JCG and that this information is intended to act as guidance only.
| Type of Injury | Severity | Guideline Payout Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very Severe Harm with Special Damages | Very Severe | Up to £500,000 + | Cases where very severe injuries have been sustained alongside substantial financial losses including a loss of earnings, medical bills, care and rehabilitation costs have been sustained. |
| Sexual and/or Physical Abuse | Severe | £109,830 to £183,050 | Both serious abuse over a prolonged period with severe or moderately severe psychological injury. |
| Moderately Severe | £54,920 to £109,830 | Serious and prolonged abuse or severe to moderately severe psychological injury. | |
| Moderate | £25,100 to £54,920 | Less severe psychological reaction with fewer on life, education and relationships. | |
| Less Severe | £11,870 to £25,100 | Cases where the abuse is short-lived or of lower seriousness, and any psychological effects are mild or can be quickly resolved with treatment. | |
| General Psychological Distress | Severe (a) | £66,920 to £141,240 | Marked problems with regard to coping with life, personal relationships and work with a very poor prognosis. |
| Moderately Severe (b) | £23,270 to £66,920 | A much more optimistic prognosis than above but with significant problems relating to ability to cope with daily life, employment and personal relationships. | |
| Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | Severe (a) | £73,050 to £122,850 | Permanent effects across all aspects of life that prevent anything near the pre-trauma level of functionality. |
| Moderately Severe (b) | £28,250 to £73,050 | Significant disability for the foreseeable future despite a better prognosis. | |
| Moderate (c) | £9,980 to £28,250 | A large scale recovery without grossly disabling continuing effects. |
How Much Grooming Compensation Will Be Awarded By The CICA?
How much grooming compensation will be awarded by the CICA will be determined by the fixed tariff amounts within the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
In the table below, we have used some of these tariff amounts. Please note that the top entry is the highest amount the CICA will pay for any claim made through them.
| Type of Injury | Compensation Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Severe Injuries with Special Expenses | Up to £500,000 | Cases involving up to 3 very severe injuries with additional loss of earnings and special expenses including medical costs, supervisions costs and administrative expenses. |
| Sexual Assault - Severe Mental Illness | £27,000 | Abuse resulting in permanently disabling mental illness confirmed by professional diagnosis. |
| Sexual Assault - Moderate Mental Illness | £22,000 | A permanently disabling mental illness as confirmed by a psychiatrist. |
| Mental Injury - Permanent | £27,000 | Seriously disabling as confirmed by a prognosis of a psychiatrist. |
| Mental Injury - Permanent | £19,000 | Moderately disabling as confirmed by a prognosis of a psychiatrist. |
| Mental Injury - Disabling | £13,500 | Lasting 5+ years but not permanent |
| Mental Injury - Disabling | £6,200 | Lasting 2 - 5 years but not permanent. |
If more than 1 injury has been sustained, then the CICA will apply the multiple injuries formula as follows:
- The highest value injury will result in 100% of the tariff amount being paid out.
- The next highest, or an injury of equal value, will be compensated at 30% of the tariff amount.
- The third highest, or an equal value, injury will be compensated at 15% of the tariff amount.
While the CICA only compensates for a maximum of 3 injuries, additional payments not subject to the multiple injuries formula can be claimed if you become pregnant, lose a foetus or contract a sexually transmitted infection as a result of a violent crime.
You can get a more personalised idea of your potential compensation and discuss further examples of CICA payouts by talking to our advisors today. Our team is available 24 hours a day via the contact information given below.
How Is The Final Amount Of Grooming Compensation Determined?
The final amount of grooming compensation is determined by valuing what injuries you have suffered as well as your associated financial losses. When claiming against the perpetrator or a vicariously liable institution, these are referred to as special damages and can include:
- Medical costs
- Care expenses
- Travel and home adaptations to help you cope with the harm caused.
- Loss of earnings.
This head of claim includes compensation for the long term effects of abuse, which means these payouts are very often a lot higher than equivalent general damages.
Evidence such as payslips, purchase receipts, journey tickets and bills for care will need to be provided.
Special Expenses
In criminal injury claims, certain costs can be reimbursed as special expenses, as part of your overall compensation payout. Any costs need to be necessary, reasonable and directly related to the injuries you are seeking compensation for.
Examples of such costs can include:
- Care relating to bodily functions and cleaning yourself.
- Expenses relating to managing your affairs if your mental capacity has been affected.
- Repairs to, or the replacement of, any personal aid equipment that was damaged by the violent crime.
- Any equipment needed to help you cope with your injuries, such as kitchen appliances.
All of these special expenses need to be necessary, reasonable and not available for free elsewhere.
You may also be able to claim for a loss of earnings if you can meet certain eligibility requirements.
As with special damages, you’ll need to be able to prove these costs. Make sure you retain supporting evidence so solicitors can properly value your claim. Get your free eligibility check today by speaking to our advisors.
How Long Is The Grooming Compensation Claim Time Limit?
The grooming compensation claims time limit for action taken through the CICA is generally 2 years from the date of the incident. As grooming is not a one-off crime, the two years would typically be counted from the last such instance of abuse.
However, as this is not always clear-cut and certainly in cases of historical abuse, where the two years have long since elapsed, extensions can be granted. While you will typically need to show that exceptional circumstances prevented a claim being made sooner, the CICA can and do exercise their discretion when accepting claims, especially when it comes to historical abuse claims. It is therefore worth getting in touch with us to find out if a claim could be made.
The time limit may also be extended if the victim is a child in the following scenarios:
- Where a victim was under 18 and the crime was reported to the police, but no claim was made, the 2 years are counted from the day the child turns 18.
- If no police report was made in the case of a minor, the 2 years can be counted from the date of reporting. It will need to be shown that exceptional circumstances prevented a report from being made sooner.
When claiming directly against the perpetrator or a vicariously liable party, the time limit is generally 3 years.
Our advisory team can provide straightforward advice to the strictest standards of confidence. Get in touch with us today to find out more about making a claim.
What Can A Solicitor Help With When Claiming For Grooming Compensation?
A solicitor of ours can support your claim from start to finish. Both the advisory team and our legal team fully understand how difficult coming forward regarding abuse can be, so we work hard to make sure you get the support you need.
The sexual abuse claims solicitors we work with operate to the highest standards of professionalism and discretion, and can provide a range of services tailored to your specific needs. They don’t believe in a “one size fits all” approach, and here are just some of the ways they can help you:
- Ensuring you receive any necessary medical care, rehabilitation and counselling treatment by connecting you to any relevant specialists.
- Helping you to gather supporting evidence.
- Keeping you informed about how the claim is progressing and explaining any technical terms.
- Calculating a compensation settlement, including any loss of earnings and other costs.
- Negotiating that settlement on your behalf, where applicable.
Our solicitors can also offer these expert services to you on a No Win No Fee basis. The type of No Win No Fee contract offered by our solicitors is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which brings with it some key advantages over other types of agreement. Generally, you would not have to pay any solicitor service fees at the start of, or during the claim. There will also be no solicitor service fees taken if the claim fails.
A success fee will be taken from your compensation if the claim is successful. Solicitors can charge a maximum of 25% of the compensation amount as a success fee, capped by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013. What this means is that most of the payout is yours to keep.
Contact Our Team Of Expert Advisors
If you have any questions about grooming compensation claims or would like to discuss your particular case, you can contact our advisors:
- Call us on 0333 091 8597.
- You can contact us online by completing a callback form.
- Or, click the live chat window at the bottom of your screen now.
More Information
View more sexual abuse claims guides on our website:
- Read our sexual abuse claims FAQ for more information on how to seek compensation.
- See our research into sexual offences between 2022 and 2025 here.
- Learn more about claiming for domestic sexual abuse with this guide.
These links will direct to external pages for additional guidance:
- Get help after rape and sexual assault from the NHS.
- Find the nearest rape crisis centre that can help you on their website.
- Read the government guidance on when to report a rape of sexual assault here.
Thank you for reading our guide to grooming compensation claims. To learn more about making a claim, get answers to your questions or for a free eligibility check, talk to our team today. Advisors are available 24 hours a day via the contact details provided above.
