Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking in CICA Claims

28th November, 2025

5 minute read

In the UK, victims of violent crime who have suffered physical or psychological injuries can apply for compensation through a Ministry of Justice body called the ‘Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority’ (CICA). The scheme aims to offer financial relief, acknowledge the victims’ suffering, and ‘right wrongs’ after violent crime.

New data has shown that only 133 applications for compensation through the scheme were recorded between January 2021 and May 2024, despite there being at least 51,193 modern slavery cases being reported to the Home Office within this period. Compensation from CICA can help survivors rebuild their lives after exploitation, but systematic barriers prevent them from accessing the scheme.

The scheme recognises that a payout from the authority will never fully compensate for suffering or loss, but is instead “an acknowledgement of harm and an important gesture of public sympathy.”

Modern day slavery and human trafficking can take many forms such as sexual exploitation, forced labour, criminal exploitation and others. Victims are often manipulated into these situations and therefore lose control of their freedom. Even after escaping, survivors tend to feel deep trauma over the situation and can often suffer severe psychological and possible physical injuries as well.

CICA restricts some victims from applying at all under certain rules and although these can be challenged in some instances, there will be a requirement to show that there were ‘exceptional circumstances’.

These restrictions include:

Two year time limit; CICA holds the right to refuse any applications made more than two years after the incident took place. It is common for survivors to apply for CICA outside of the two year time limit, but challenging the deadline restriction is not possible for everyone.
Offending history; Criminal exploitation is the leading form of modern slavery in the UK. Yet, survivors of violent crimes including survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery are exempt from applying to CICA if they have an unspent conviction.
Police reporting; CICA applicants are expected to evidence that they have adequately co-operated with the police, however many survivors are fearful of the authorities.
Immigration Status; CICA does not grant compensation in some cases where victims are non-UK nationals. Although the nationality and residence criteria states that victims or trafficking are exempt, survivors without residency must have a final decision from the NRM before they can apply.

In CICA guidance for trafficking victims, the department states that legal representation is not needed for the process. However, our belief is that legal support is absolutely necessary for survivors to navigate the current process. CICA demands a lot of evidence from survivors, including HMRC documentation and extensive medical records.

How can Jordans Solicitors help?

Here at Jordans Solicitors we represent multiple survivors who have been trafficked or been a victim of modern day slavery. We can guide you through the process and secure high levels of compensation from the CICA depending on the injuries and/or loss of earnings you have suffered as a result of the crime.

We understand that reliving the torment you went through can be difficult, but our team of dedicated solicitors can advise and support you with your CICA claim.

Please contact the abuse team on 0800 9555 094 or request a call back here.

FAQs

If you are the survivor of a violent crime, you may be entitled to compensation via the Government funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICA).
Through the CICA scheme, survivors can claim for acts of abuse and psychological injuries suffered as well as loss of earnings.
Claims are made to the Government scheme and do not involve the perpetrator of the crime, so claims can be made in confidence without the worry of having further contact with the perpetrator/s.
You are able to make an application yourself, however, claims administered under the scheme can be quite complex.
If your application does not meet the criteria, your claim could be rejected. This is why we recommend that you seek legal advice before submitting your application, as we can advise whether you are eligible to make an application under the scheme, as there are a number of criteria that must be met to enable an application to succeed.
For example, in addition to being a survivor of violent crime, you must have made a report to the Police, but there is no need for there to be a conviction. We can also explain the legal technicalities and maximise any award that you may be entitled to.
If the CICA decide that you are eligible to make a claim, they will make an award of damages. However, they often fail to include an award for any psychological injury and loss of earnings. As experienced specialists, we regularly secure higher awards for clients, either via the review procedure or at an appeal hearing.

For more information on CICA Claims see:

Criminal Injuries Claims