The Church of England have approved a redress scheme for survivors of Church-related abuse. This will be a formal process to offer financial compensation to people who have experienced abuse within the Church or by its representatives.
Whilst limited details are available about who will be eligible, how much compensation they may receive and what the process will involve it is hoped that the scheme will allow survivors and victims to receive some compensation without having to bring legal proceedings.
Who can make a claim?
Claims can be made by anyone who suffered abuse while involved with the Church of England. The key is that the abuse must have been committed by an individual who had authority due to their role within the Church, even if they weren’t on the payroll.
This means there needs to be a strong link between their Church duties and the abuse itself.
What type of abuses are covered?
The scheme is designed to cover a broad spectrum of abuse, including:
- sexual abuse
- physical abuse
- spiritual abuse
- emotional abuse
- financial abuse
- neglect
Is there any time-limit?
The scheme will allow survivors and victims of non-recent abuse to submit an application. There are no rules that would prevent someone who was abused many years ago submitting an application.
Any application must be made within five years, however, as the Scheme is not yet in force we do not know when the deadline will be.
How much will a survivor receive?
While the precise compensation details haven’t been released yet, it’s understood that awards will range from £5,000 to £660,000. The exact amount an individual receives will depend on the specific circumstances of the abuse and how it impacted them.
What can Enable Law do to help?
Whether you’re a survivor of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, harassment and neglect our trusted specialists are here to support you.
Our NAPAC accredited team has been involved with the implementation of multiple redress schemes over the years and can provide you the guidance and support you need to use the scheme to seek justice for what happened. We have supported hundreds of abuse survivors and can help you with a wide range of abuse and criminal injury claims.
To have a free, confidential and compassionate discussion about what happened and explore with us ways we can help you as more information about the scheme becomes available, call us on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our form here so we can call you back at a time convenient for you. You will never be asked to share information you are not yet ready to share.
