Last Updated 22nd April 2026. Manslaughter and murder victim compensation claims can be made by qualifying relatives following the unlawful death of a family member. While legal action may be taken directly against the perpetrator or a vicariously liable institution, such as an employer, these avenues are not always open. In such cases, a claim can be pursued through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if the family member was fatally injured in a violent crime in Great Britain or another eligible location.
The CICA is a government-sponsored agency that provides victims of violent crimes, including bereaved loved ones, with a means of seeking compensation when other methods have been exhausted or are unavailable to them. When pursuing a claim through the CICA for a fatal violent crime, the perpetrator does not have to have been charged or even identified. This makes it a viable option for families if the investigation into a relative’s death is still ongoing.
Public Interest Lawyers understand that manslaughter compensation claims can be an emotionally challenging experience for the families of victims. This is why we aim to make the process as straightforward and sensitive as possible. We handle the legal complexities on your behalf, enabling you to focus on organising the funeral, navigating the probate process, and spending time with your family. Why not reach out to our supportive advisors today to find out more about how to claim?
Select A Section
- What Are Manslaughter And Murder Victim Compensation Claims?
- Who Could Claim Murder Victim Compensation?
- Is There A Time Limit On CICA And Murder Victim Claims?
- What Documentation Do You Need To Make A CICA Claim?
- Manslaughter And Murder Victim Compensation Payouts
- How Long Does It take To Claim Murder Compensation?
- Can Public Interest Lawyers Help Me Claim Murder Compensation From The CICA?
- No Win No Fee CICA Murder Or Manslaughter Compensation Claims With Public Interest Lawyers
- Related Criminal Injury Claims
What Are Manslaughter And Murder Victim Compensation Claims?
Murder and manslaughter are both crimes that cause someone to lose their life. In response, a compensation claim could potentially be made by certain third parties who qualify for a payment.
Below, we have explained how the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) define murder and manslaughter. These two offences constitute homicide.
How Does The CPS Define Murder?
Murder is where:
- Someone of sound mind;
- Unlawfully (i.e. not in self-defence or justified in any other way) kills;
- Another human being;
- Under the King’s Peace (not in wartime);
- With intent to kill that person or cause them Grevious Bodily Harm (GBH).
In order to show that the defendant had this intent, it would need to be shown that they felt sure that death or serious bodily harm was a virtual certainty of their actions.
How Does The CPS Define Manslaughter?
Manslaughter is split into two different offences according to the CPS:
- Involuntary manslaughter. This is where someone kills someone else unlawfully, but did not intend to kill or cause someone grievous bodily harm.
- Unlawful act manslaughter. This applies where the defendant has intentionally acted in an unlawful and dangerous manner, causing inadvertent death.
Who Could Claim Murder Victim Compensation?
The CICA enables people who have suffered as a result of a crime of violence to claim compensation. In many cases, this would be the person who was injured as a result of the crime.
However, in the cases of murder and manslaughter, a claim could be made by a third party. This bereavement award is made for the loss of their loved one and can cover the psychological damage caused by the passing of their loved one.
Below, we’ve looked at some of the qualifying relatives who could make a CICA claim on behalf of a deceased person.
Claiming As A Parent Or A Close Relative
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme defines a qualifying relative as:
- A spouse or civil partner who lived with the deceased.
- A partner of the deceased who lived with them for at least 2 years before their death.
- A spouse, civil partner or partner who did not live with the deceased because of ill-health or infirmity, but otherwise would have satisfied one of the first two conditions.
- A spouse or civil partner (current or former) who was financially dependant on the deceased.
- A parent of the deceased; or
- A child of the deceased.
It’s important to note that “child” in this context is not limited to someone under the age of 18. Adult children of the deceased are also classed as qualifying relatives.
Claiming As A Dependant
You may be able to make a dependency payment if you can show that you were dependant on the deceased person at the time of their death. This can be:
- Financial dependency. This is where the qualifying relative was dependant on the deceased party financially and receives compensation to accommodate this loss of earnings. There are some stipulations to this; for example, the deceased must have either been in paid work at the time they passed away, or have a good reason for not being.
- Physical dependency. You could also receive compensation if the deceased was your main carer and you’re a qualifying relative. “Main carer” means someone who meets the majority of your care needs. Your care needs could include personal hygiene, food preparation and eating, and keeping you safe from harm.
Other Criteria For Making A Murder Victim Claim
When making a murder victim claim through the CICA, you must meet certain criteria in order for you to be eligible for criminal injury compensation. For example, the murder or manslaughter must have occurred in England, Scotland or Wales. You must also meet the CICA residency criteria.
Additionally, you must ensure that you adhere to the relevant time limits. Generally, when you claim through the CICA, there is a two-year limit. This can begin from the date of the incident or from when you report it to the police, which you are expected to do as soon as you can, unless you have evidence that exceptional circumstances prevented you from doing so.
For more information on criminal injury claims, get in touch with us at any time. Our advisors are available to answer your questions 24/7 and at no additional cost to you. Additionally, they could connect you with one of our expert criminal injury solicitors.
Is There A Time Limit On CICA Or Murder Victim Claims?
There is a time limit for making a murder victim compensation claim. This time limit is generally two years. However, if you can show that exceptional circumstances stopped you from being able to start a claim within this time limit, this can be extended.
Furthermore, it’s a requirement that an incident is reported to the police in order for you to claim through the CICA. This should be done as soon as possible; however, exceptions can be made if extenuating circumstances delayed you in reporting it to the police.
For more information on the time limits that apply when claiming murder victim compensation through the CICA, please consult Public Interest Lawyers. One of our advisors could offer you free legal advice about claiming.
What Documentation Do You Need To Make A CICA Claim?
To claim manslaughter or murder victim compensation, the CICA may require:
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements for claiming
- Confirmation from the police or witnesses of the incident that the deceased’s behaviour didn’t contribute to the incident
- Proof of any loss or future loss of earnings
- Confirmation from the police that they received a report about the incident
- Confirmation of your cooperation with the police.
A solicitor may be able to help you collect the evidence you need to make a claim. If you’d like to know more about being connected with a solicitor to represent you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Manslaughter And Murder Victim Compensation Payouts
The CICA have a tariff of injuries that they use to calculate payouts to be awarded in different circumstances. We have used some of these figures to create the table below, with the first entry being the maximum amount available from the CICA.
| Type Of Damages | Estimated CICA | Notes On This Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal criminal injury + special expenses | Maximum £500,000 | This is the maximum award which may be made under this Scheme in relation to fatal criminal injury. |
| Bereavement payment | £11,000 | Where one qualifying relative is seeking compensation |
| Bereavement payment | £5,500 per applicant | Where several qualifying relatives are seeking compensation |
| Funeral costs | £2,500 | This can cover the costs of a funeral for the victim of a fatal criminal injury |
| Child's payment | £2,000 each year | This payment can be made to a qualifying relative under the age of 18 who was dependent on the deceased for parental services. |
| Financial dependency payment | £109.40 weekly (based on SSP) | This payment may be included if the qualifying relative was financially or physically dependent on the victim at the time of their death. This will be paid weekly from the date of death and will be based on SSP. |
For more information on how much compensation you could receive, please get in touch with one of our advisors today. You could be connected with a No Win No Fee solicitor; please read on to find out more about what this means.
How Long Does It Take To Claim Murder Compensation?
The amount of time it takes to claim murder compensation depends on several factors that are unique to each case. The CICA aims to settle criminal injury claims efficiently, so the majority of cases are assessed within 12 months.
However, it is important to consider that the CICA do not guarantee that they will meet this time frame. This is because more complex cases can require a more detailed assessment.
Factors that can influence how long manslaughter and murder victim compensation claims include:
- How long it takes to get a postmortem
- The response time of the police (the CICA may need further details regarding the crime)
- The evidence provided- evidence may be unclear or insufficient
- Whether you wish to appeal the decision of the CICA
Once the CICA have determined how much compensation should be awarded, they aim to pay the total within 20 working days once you have accepted.
If you work with one of our solicitors, they will provide you with expert legal guidance throughout the process. Get in touch with our advisors today to find out whether you can proceed. You can also discuss the specific nature of your case, allowing them to offer tailored advice on how long it could take to get compensation.
Can Public Interest Lawyers Help Me Claim Murder Compensation From The CICA?
Yes, Public Interest Lawyers can help you claim murder compensation from the CICA by drawing on our many years of experience in criminal injury cases to guide you through the process. Some of our solicitors started their careers more than 30 years ago, and in that time, we have secured millions in compensation for thousands of clients.
However, our approach to legal representation is defined by compassion rather than numbers or statistics. We recognise that every case involving a bereaved family represents profound personal loss, and we take seriously the trust placed in us during such a challenging time. Public Interest Lawyers strives to provide in-depth, personalised service to all of our clients, including:
- Communicating with the CICA where necessary.
- Connecting you and your family to specialist grief counselling, therapy, and other support services.
- Providing sensitive, regular updates to keep you fully informed about your case’s progress.
- Helping you with assembling the documentation required by the CICA, such as evidence of financial dependency.
- Using our expertise to ensure your claim reflects the impact of your bereavement and funeral costs.
You can make further inquiries regarding making a murder compensation claim with the support of Public Interest Lawyers by contacting our advisory team today.
No Win No Fee CICA Murder Or Manslaughter Compensation Claims With Public Interest Lawyers
At Public Interest Lawyers, we offer our services to all eligible claimants under a No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This agreement protects claimants from being charged solicitor service fees at all points during the claims process. You will also not be required to pay a service fee if the claim is lost.
Should the claim be won, the solicitor will deduct a legally capped success fee from your compensation. This cap means the maximum percentage that may be charged as a success fee is 25%.
You can learn about claiming compensation for a murdered relative by speaking to one of our advisors today. Use any of the contact details provided here to get through to a member of our team:
- Call us on 0800 073 8803.
- You can also contact us here by completing a callback form.
- Or you can open the live chat on your screen now.
Related Criminal Injury Claims
Thank you for reading our guide to claiming compensation for homicide. You may wish to read these guides to learn more about making a compensation claim.
- Examples Of CICA Payouts And How To Claim Them
- Fatal Injury Claims
- An NHS guide to coping with bereavement
- And a guide from Child Bereavement UK about what grief is.