At a glance

You can claim CICA compensation for psychological trauma, such as PTSD, even if you did not suffer physical injuries
Claims require a formal diagnosis from a registered psychiatrist or clinical psychologist, as GP and therapist notes alone are insufficient
Compensation is paid on a fixed tariff scale from £1,000 to £27,000, depending on the severity of the mental injury
Claims must be submitted within a strict two-year limit
Pre-existing mental health conditions do not disqualify you if you can prove the crime significantly worsened your baseline health

When people think about compensation after a violent crime, they often focus on physical injuries. But for many victims, the lasting impact is psychological.

Experiencing a violent incident can affect your confidence, relationships, work and day-to-day life. Conditions such as PTSD, anxiety and depression can continue long after any physical injuries have healed – or may develop even when there were no physical injuries at all.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) can award compensation for qualifying psychological injuries. In this guide, we’ll explain how the process works, what evidence you’ll need and how to give your claim the best possible chance of success.

Can you make a CICA claim for psychological injury without physical harm?

Yes, you can make a CICA mental health claim for psychological injury even if you didn’t suffer any physical harm during the incident. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) pays compensation for psychological trauma, provided it was caused by a crime of violence.

To qualify for a payout, your condition must meet the criteria of a disabling mental injury. This requires a formal diagnosis from a registered specialist. This means that invisible trauma like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or clinical depression is fully compensable without any accompanying physical wounds.

Working with legal specialists can help you navigate these strict diagnostic parameters to ensure your application is successful.

The clinical diagnosis bottleneck

Many claimants assume their GP records or therapy notes are enough to secure compensation. Unfortunately, the CICA systematically rejects these as primary evidence. To obtain a CICA psychological injury payout, you must have a formal diagnosis from a registered Consultant Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist.

This diagnostic assessment must use official clinical manuals like ICD-11 or DSM-5. It can create a major bottleneck, as NHS waiting times for psychiatric assessments often exceed 18 months.

If you rely solely on standard care records, your application is highly likely to be rejected. This is one of the top reasons CICA claims are refused, as the authority strictly enforces its diagnostic guidelines.

Here’s how the CICA categorises medical professionals when assessing psychological evidence:

Accepted: Consultant Psychiatrists registered with the General Medical Council (GMC).
Accepted: Clinical Psychologists registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Rejected: General Practitioners (GPs), even if they have prescribed psychiatric medication.
Rejected: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) therapists and private counsellors.
Rejected: Mental health nurses and wellbeing practitioners.

Defining a disabling mental injury versus temporary anxiety

To secure CICA compensation for PTSD or other trauma, it’s vital to understand what conditions the CICA scheme actually covers. The authority distinguishes sharply between normal, temporary emotional reactions and long-term psychological damage.

Temporary mental anxiety

This refers to the immediate, short-term shock, fear, or distress felt after a crime. While entirely natural, the CICA completely excludes temporary anxiety, stress, or worry from its compensation tariffs. This means these reactions don’t qualify for a payout on their own.

Disabling mental injury

This is a formal clinical condition that must significantly impair your daily life for a prolonged period, usually lasting at least six weeks. The CICA evaluates several key areas of functioning to determine if your injury is truly disabling:

Social functioning: Marked social withdrawal or difficulty maintaining friendships.
Work and education: An inability to work, attend school, or manage daily tasks.
Relationships: The breakdown of family relationships or intimate partnerships.
Loss of independence: Needing assistance with basic daily living or being unable to leave your home alone.

How much does the CICA psychological injury tariff pay out?

The amount of compensation you receive for psychological trauma is determined by a fixed tariff system. Under Annex E of the scheme, payouts are categorised based on how long the disabling mental injury persists and the likelihood of recovery.

Description and duration	Tariff payout amount
Disabling mental injury lasting 6 weeks up to 2 years, where recovery is likely	£1,000 to £2,400
Disabling mental injury lasting 2 to 5 years, where recovery is likely	£6,200
Disabling mental injury lasting over 5 years, where recovery is likely	£13,500
Permanent, disabling mental injury, where recovery is not likely	£19,000 to £27,000

If you suffer from multiple injuries, the CICA applies a strict “multiple injuries” rule. You’ll receive 100% of the CICA tariff for your most valuable injury, 30% for the second most valuable, and 15% for the third.

How do pre-existing mental health conditions affect your CICA claim?

If you struggled with depression or anxiety before the crime, you might worry that this disqualifies you from making a criminal injury mental health claim. The CICA will request your full medical history, and they may try to argue that your current suffering is simply a continuation of your pre-existing conditions. However, having a history of mental illness doesn’t stop you from claiming.

You can still secure compensation by proving a material exacerbation. This means showing that the violent crime caused a severe, distinct worsening of your baseline mental health. For example, if you managed mild anxiety with occasional therapy but developed severe, disabling PTSD after an assault, the crime is directly responsible for that transition.

Proving this requires detailed clinical analysis from an expert psychologist or psychiatrist who can compare your pre-crime medical records with your post-crime psychiatric state. This ensures that the CICA cannot unfairly devalue your trauma.

Why claiming on an interim basis protects your legal rights

The CICA enforces a strict two-year time limit from the date of the incident to submit your claim. However, severe psychological trauma can take months or years to properly diagnose, creating a high risk that the clock will run out while you wait for NHS assessments. Claiming on an interim basis protects your legal rights during this period.

Submit the initial application within the two-year limit: Register your claim with the CICA before the deadline to stop the clock, even if you don’t yet have a final diagnosis. You can review the CICA claim eligibility and time limits to ensure your initial application is compliant.
Establish the basic claim with initial evidence: Provide your GP records and police incident numbers to prove a crime of violence occurred and that you sought immediate medical attention.
Request interim clinical assessments: Monitor your recovery over time and submit updated psychiatric evaluations to show whether your injury is temporary or represents a permanent, higher-value tariff band.

How Express Solicitors can help bypass the medical evidence barrier

At Express Solicitors, we understand how overwhelming it is to face administrative hurdles when you’re already dealing with severe trauma. The NHS diagnosis bottleneck shouldn’t stand in the way of your recovery. Where possible, our specialist solicitors bypass this barrier by persuading the CICA to instruct and fund independent, private clinical psychologists to assess our clients.

This means you don’t have to wait on long NHS lists to secure the vital diagnostic report your CICA mental health claim needs. We’ll handle all the heavy administrative lifting, deal with the CICA backlog on your behalf, and use a supportive, trauma-informed approach that prioritises your wellbeing.

Securing your CICA mental health claim

Securing a CICA mental health claim without physical injuries is entirely possible, but navigating the strict clinical evidence requirements and the two-year deadline alone can be overwhelming. Relying on GP notes or waiting for long NHS referrals often leads to rejected claims.

Working with a specialist law firm like Express Solicitors ensures your mental trauma is assessed by the right clinical experts, giving you the best chance of securing the full tariff compensation you deserve.

Contact our empathetic legal experts today to discuss your CICA mental health claim on a no win, no fee basis. Get in touch to begin.

CICA mental health claim FAQs

Will CICA accept a mental health diagnosis from my GP?

No, the CICA won’t accept a mental health diagnosis from your GP. While your GP records are useful supporting evidence of your symptoms, the scheme strictly requires a formal diagnostic report from a registered Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist.

Can I claim loss of earnings from CICA for mental health issues?

Yes, you can claim loss of earnings if your mental injury has completely prevented you from working for more than 28 consecutive weeks. However, this compensation is capped at the standard Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rate.

How long does a CICA mental health claim take?

Psychological claims often take longer due to diagnostic requirements and current CICA backlogs, typically taking 12 to 24 months or longer in some cases. Professional solicitors help keep the process on track.