As a result of a review into the Criminal Injuries Compensations Scheme (CICS) reports in the media suggest that the government are going to improve the access a Victim has to compensation.
The "same roof rule" is one which may be abandoned which prevents Victims of violent crime before 1979 from receiving Compensation if they lived with their attacker. The review has been sparked as a result of a particular case in which the Victim came forward disclosing that she had been sexually abused by her step-father and a conviction for eight offences was secured. However, when the Victim made efforts to claim compensation this was refused as a result of the same roof rule.
As a result of this review the Ministry of Justice may seek to expand the scope of the definition of a violent crime in order to include Victims of sexual exploitation. At present the CICS is funded out of government spending and last year paid out more than £150m to victims. On the basis this report has been described by BBC Home Affairs correspondent as the most far reaching review of that scheme in more than twenty years the review will also have to carefully consider the sustainability and affordability of any changes, before any Victims are provided with easier access to compensation.
This is not legal advice; it is intended to provide information of general interest about current legal issues.
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