Changes in Compensation Rules for Victims of Terrorism Outside the UK
Justice Secretary, Ken Clarke, has announced plans to change compensation rules for victims of terror attacks outside the UK.
The changes have been announced as part of wider plans to alter the rules surrounding compensation for victims of crime. The plans would give UK citizens injured in attacks overseas the same legal rights to compensation as those that are injured on these shores.
The future claims look set to be made through the government backed Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, which currently deals with claims for criminal injury compensation. The changes would also allow those injured in attacks since 2002 to seek retrospective financial support. Many terrorist attacks have taken place in these years, such as the attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
The plans have been welcomed by politicians of all parties, who have stated that the move will provide victims with necessary support.
Ken Clarke himself called the proposal “an enormous advance on a situation where previously nothing had been done.”
Other proposed changes to the CICA scheme include charging criminal offenders a “victim surcharge” of between £15 and £120. These charges could add up to an estimated £50m, which will go towards the costs of paying compensation to those blamelessly injured by a violent crime.
