Tiered Redress Scheme
The Inquiry recommends that the UK government establishes a single redress scheme in England and Wales, taking into account devolved responsibilities. The detailed rules of, and funding for, this redress scheme should reflect the following core elements. Eligibility: Victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation that occurred in England and in Wales should be eligible to apply. Applicants must have experienced child sexual abuse and exploitation where there is a clear connection to State or non-State institutions in England and Wales. The scheme should be open to any victim of child sexual abuse that took place prior to its establishment. The scheme should deduct any previous award from any payment under the scheme. Applicants who have previously brought civil claims which have been rejected by the court should be excluded from applying to the scheme, save where their cases have been rejected due to limitation. Redress provided: The scheme should provide payments to eligible applicants through a two-tier system, based on a fixed flat-rate recognition payment, with the option to apply for a second-tier payment. Process: The application process must be accessible and straightforward, and be sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. There should be special provisions to accelerate awards for older or terminally ill applicants. Duration: The scheme should run for five years. Funding: The scheme should be funded by central and local government, in accordance with devolved funding principles, with voluntary contributions sought from non-State institutions.
How was this assessed?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartWe accept the need to introduce a redress scheme to acknowledge the institutional failures that led to the suffering of victims and survivors. The detail of the scheme, including eligibility, types of redress available, the extent of any financial component, and application process, will be considered following extensive engagement, including with victims and survivors, third sector organisations, local authorities, insurers and lawyers.
Progress Timeline
Government is not pursuing a separate national redress scheme, citing fiscal constraints. Instead prioritizing therapeutic support and maintaining civil court access for survivors seeking compensation.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Professor Alexis Jay told Home Affairs Committee that £187m was spent on IICSA and "to date none of its final recommendations had been implemented." Called for "full implementation" saying "get it done."
View detailed findings
As of December 2024, none of the 20 final report recommendations had been implemented. The previous government's response was described by Prof Jay as "very weak and, at times, apparently disingenuous."