Last Updated 16th April 2026. Grievous bodily harm (GBH) can be a traumatising event, with physical, psychological, and financial consequences that extend beyond the incident itself. While GBH compensation cannot erase what happened, it can provide much-needed relief during such a difficult time. If you were injured in a violent GBH crime in Great Britain, you may be eligible to claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is the government body that pays compensation to those affected by violent crime in the UK.
Why not speak with an expert advisor today for more information? They can detail the CICA claims process and explain what factors could influence how much compensation for GBH you might receive. After experiencing such a distressing event, you deserve guidance that prioritises your needs as you explore your options for making criminal injuries compensation claims. Our advisors understand this and offer their help without any strings attached.
Common Questions On GBH Claims
- How is grievous bodily harm compensation calculated? The CICA uses set compensation tariffs to value payouts based on the type and severity of the harm.
- Can GBH Compensation cover financial losses? Yes, the CICA enables claimants to recover various costs relating to a criminal injury, including replacing physical aids, adapting the home, and loss of income.
- Can my compensation cover multiple injuries? Yes, the CICA can award compensation for up to 3 injuries using a specific formula to calculate compensation.
- When can I claim compensation for GBH? You can seek compensation through the CICA if you were harmed as a result of GBH in Great Britain, filed within 2 years of the incident, and made a report to the police.
- Can I appeal the CICA’s decision? Yes, you can make an appeal if you disagree with the CICA’s decision. If you work with one of our solicitors, they can help you with this.
Our enquiries team is available 24/7 if you would like to discuss any aspect of this guide or find out if you can make a claim today.
Select A Section
- Applying To The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
- What Harm Could Be Caused By GBH?
- How Does The CICA Compensation Process Work?
- Compensation For GBH – How Is It Calculated?
- How Public Interest Lawyers Can Help You Through The CICA GBH Claim Process
- Can I Claim GBH Compensation Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
Applying To The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
To claim compensation for GBH through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. These include the following:
- The incident must have been reported to the police. The CICA will ask for your police reference number when you submit a claim to them.
- You need to adhere to the time limit for starting a CICA claim. This is generally two years from the date that you reported the incident to the police. You are expected to report the incident to the police right away. However, the time limit can work differently under certain circumstances.
- You must be claiming for physical injuries or mental injuries (or both) inflicted in a crime of violence. A crime of violence is defined as an attack, act or omission that is violent in nature that causes harm, reasonable firmness to be in fear of an attack due to a threat, sexual assault and arson. As part of the claiming process, you will need to provide medical evidence of your injuries.
- The incident must have occurred in England, Scotland, Wales or another relevant location.
While you will require your police reference number to start your grievous bodily harm claim, you will not need to wait for a conviction or for your assailant to be caught before starting the process. That’s because, unlike in criminal cases, where guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the CICA will assess your claim based on the balance of probabilities.
If you need any help with starting your GBH compensation claim, speak with one of the advisors from our team today.
What Harm Could Be Caused By GBH?
Due to the broad nature of offences that could be considered GBH, there could be a multitude of injuries that result from it. These could include, but are not limited to:
- Dislocations and fractures, such as a dislocated shoulder or a fractured neck
- Cuts and bruises
- Laceration injuries
- Brain damage
- Internal injuries due to physical abuse, for example, a kidney injury
The injuries resulting from grievous bodily harm could lead to serious and permanent consequences. If this has happened, you could claim compensation.
For example, if you were the victim of an acid attack and you suffered bodily harm as a result, you could potentially make a claim. Another example could be if someone stabbed you during a mugging. In both instances, the perpetrator used unlawful force purposefully.
How Does The CICA Compensation Process Work?
This section will highlight the key steps in the GBH compensation process. For the most part, the steps for claiming through the CICA could go as follows:
- Report the incident to the police
- Seek medical attention
- Hire a solicitor. This isn’t a legal requirement, but it is something we always recommend to make the claims process run more smoothly.
- Collect evidence. This could be evidence of the incident (for example, in the form of witness statements or CCTV footage), of your injuries (you could provide medical records) or of any financial impact that your criminal injury has had on you.
Get in touch with our advisors today. A member of our team may be able to connect you with one of our solicitors who can help you.
Compensation For GBH – How Is It Calculated?
If you submit a successful claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, then you could be awarded compensation to address the harm you have suffered. The value of claims made to the CICA is determined by a tariff of injuries set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
The tariff includes provisions for numerous scenarios, including those involving grievous bodily harm. It allows you to seek compensation based on the following:
- The type of assault you have experienced.
- The number of times you were assaulted.
- Injuries you sustained from being assaulted.
In the table below, you can view some of the tariff of injuries that may apply when claiming compensation for GBH. You can claim for up to three injuries under this tariff. You’ll receive 100% of the tariff’s value for the highest valued injury. For the second-highest value injury, you’ll receive 30% of the tariff value. For the third-highest value injury, you’ll be given 15% of the tariff value.
Please note that the first entry in this table is the maximum amount which can be paid out by the CICA.
| Area of the Body | Injury Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries Plus Financial Losses | Serious | Up to £500,000 |
| Brain | Very Serious Brain Injury | £175,000 |
| Lower Extremities | Substantially Complete Paraplegia | £175,000 |
| Arm | Loss of One Dominant Arm | £55,000 |
| Hand | Loss, Equivalent Loss of One Non-Dominant Hand | £33,000 |
| Eyes | Loss of Sight in One Eye | £22,000 |
| Mental Injury | Permanent and Moderately Disabling | £19,000 |
| Facial Scarring | Serious Disfigurement | £11,000 |
| Wrist | Fracture, Continuing Significant Disability | £11,000 |
You could also claim special expenses or loss of earnings in your GBH compensation claim. Special expenses aim to cover costs that have directly resulted from your injury. You could potentially claim for:
- Funeral costs
- Adaptations to the home
- The cost of physical aids
- Property damage
To claim special expenses, you must prove the costs to be reasonable and necessary. You also need to have been out of work for 28 weeks or more due to your injury. However, special expenses payments will be backdated to reflect losses from the date of your injury.
In order to make a loss of earnings claim, you must also have been out of work for at least 28 weeks. However, you will only be compensated for the loss of earnings from week 29 onwards.
Get in touch with our advisors today for more details on how much compensation you could claim through the CICA.
How Public Interest Lawyers Can Help You Through The CICA GBH Claim Process
Our solicitors at Public Interest Lawyers have a proven track record of supporting victims of violent crime as they navigate the CICA claims process. We focus on providing immediate, compassionate support to help ease the strain after a traumatic GBH incident.
At Public Interest Lawyers, our extensive experience gives us a clear understanding of what it takes to succeed when making a claim through the CICA. We will:
- Thoroughly assess the physical and psychological injuries resulting from the GBH assault, ensuring they are accurately valued under the CICA’s tariff system.
- Act as your main point of contact in all communications with the CICA.
- Help you gather all necessary documentation and assist with submitting your application for GBH compensation.
- Explain the tariff system, any complex legal terminology, and answer your queries about seeking compensation for GBH.
- Connect you with trauma-informed counsellors and victim support groups.
To find out more about our services or how much compensation for GBH might be awarded in a successful claim, contact one of our friendly advisors today.
Can I Claim GBH Compensation Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
Yes, you can claim GBH compensation using a No Win No Fee Solicitor. Grievous bodily harm criminal injury claims can be made by entering a Conditional Fee Agreement with one of our solicitors, which is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement. This means that:
- You will not have to make any initial payments for the work of your solicitor.
- There will be no ongoing service fees to pay throughout the CICA claim.
- If the CICA does not award compensation, you will have no fees to pay for your solicitor’s services.
You will receive the majority of your criminal injury compensation if your claim is successful. This is because our solicitor takes a small success fee that is deducted as a legally capped percentage of the compensation.
Contact Us
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- Call us on 0800 073 8803
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Support For Victims of Assault
- Manslaughter and Murder Victim Compensation Claims – A guide on how to claim for victims of murder or manslaughter.
- Historic Sexual Abuse Claims – This article could help you if you’re wondering whether you could be compensated for historic sexual abuse.
- Can You Claim for a Hit and Run Via the CICA? – Our guide on if you could claim for a hit and run accident through the CICA.
- Victim Support – A registered charity that helps those affected by traumatic incidents and crime in England and Wales.
- Get Support as a Victim of Crime – A government page on the support options available to you as a victim of crime.
- Victim and Witness Support – The Crown Prosecution Service’s page on their commitments to support victims and witnesses of crime.
Thank you for reading our guide on how to claim GBH compensation.