Abuse in the Church of England

If you are a survivor of abuse at the hands of a religious organisation, our expert team can help you to secure the compensation you deserve.

A large number of abuse claims are brought against the Church and other religious organisations, with many instances of those in charge being held to account for their inappropriate actions. Priests, vicars and other religious leaders are often looked up to and respected by their parishioners. They are in positions of trust and power and this sometimes allows them access to vulnerable children and adults.

Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in particular has received a lot of media and public attention since the late 1980s, including investigations and convictions of Catholic priests for sexual abuse and allegations in relation to cover-ups of priest abuse by other prominent figures within the organisation.

A redress scheme has been in development for the past four years in response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

July 2025

In July 2025, The Church of England gave final approval to a comprehensive redress scheme for survivors of Church- related abuse. This has completed the Church’s legislative process and paves the way for the scheme to open for redress applications subject to parliamentary approval and royal assent. The scheme may be open as early as September 2025.

If you require advise about the scheme or your eligibility to make an application, please contact a member of the team. We will be able to prepare your application in readiness for the scheme opening.

Details of the scheme can be found below:

On the 14th July 2025, the Church of England gave final approval to a comprehensive redress scheme for survivors of Church related abuse. This completes the Church’s legislative process, paving the way for the scheme to open for redress applications, subject to Parliamentary approval and royal assent.
From the 18th July 2025 a public website was opened to enable prospective applicants to register their interest and received advance notification of the scheme’s official opening date once it is known.
Prospective applicants can register their interest by visiting the website below. Once the scheme is open and operating, survivors will be able to apply at this same dedicated website: http://www.redresscofe.org/
The key details of the draft scheme, which is still in its development stages are:
Eligibility:
The scheme will be open to both adult and child survivors of abuse within the Church of England.
Abuse:
The Church has indicated that the scheme will not just be for those who have suffered sexual abuse, it will cover other forms of abuse as well including, physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment.
An applicant must meet two conditions:
1. The abuse was either someone in authority in the Church or the applicant had reasonable grounds to believe that they had authority and
2. That there was a close connection between the activities authorised for performing that role and carrying out the abuse.
Redress:
This includes financial compensation, therapeutic, spiritual, and emotional support, as well as an acknowledgment of wrongdoing and an apology from the Church. It is predicted that monetary awards under the scheme could range from £5,000 to £600,000.
How will the scheme work:
The current proposals are that the scheme will have a four-stage framework:
Stage 1: Application will be assessed according to the type of abuse with awards ranging between £5,000 to £150,000.
Stage 2: Any aggravating factors will be considered, which could result in the stage one award being increased by up to 100%.
Stage 3: The impact of the abuse on the applicant will be considered and could add between £10,000 and £250,000 to the award.
Stage 4: In rare circumstances there may be a further 20% uplift.
Legal Costs:
Legal costs associated with making a claim will be covered.
Claimants:
If a survivor dies, their partner, dependent child, or parent can bring a claim on their behalf.
Scheme Duration:
The scheme is intended to be open for a period of five years.
Survivor Involvement:
Survivors have been actively involved in the development of the scheme, contributing their expertise and experience through a working group.
Financial Provisions:
The Church has already allocated £150 million to fund the redress scheme
We would urge anyone who would like advice to contact us now to discuss your potential eligibility to claim compensation under the scheme. We can get your case ready so as soon as the scheme opens, we can put your application in promptly.

Make a church abuse claim with Jordans Solicitors

At Jordans Solicitors, our specialist team have many years of experience successfully bringing church abuse claims forward, representing clients nationally.

We have obtained compensation for individuals with a wide range of claims, involving Church of England abuse, claims against the Catholic Church and other religious organisations.

Our child abuse solicitors are here to provide support and guidance at a very difficult time. Whilst we cannot change what has happened in the past, we will endeavour to recover compensation to allow you to seek the required support to rebuild your life.

If you or your child has suffered church abuse please contact the our specialist abuse lawyers on our dedicated freephone number 0800 9555 094 where one of our team will discuss your situation in confidence.