Nearly half of criminal injury claims over Manchester Arena attack rejected

Up to half of criminal injury compensation claims made to the Government in relation to the Manchester Arena terror attack have been rejected.

One emergency service worker, who now has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), was told they were not a "direct victim" as they were not present at the scene when the bomb went off, a law firm has said.

Lawyers have now called on the government to not to limit claims to the moment the explosion happened, and instead cover a wider period of time.

Of the 741 applications decided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), a total of 331 did not result in compensation being rewarded.

Another 97 claims remain outstanding from people said to have suffered physically and/or mentally from the atrocity which killed 22 people at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in 2017.

The figures were revealed following a Freedom of Information request from Hudgell Solicitors, which is representing the emergency service member, who was one of the first responders at the scene.

The worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, has since been diagnosed with moderate to severe PTSD as a direct result of their experience.

However, their application to the CICA for an award based on mental health injuries was one of those rejected.

Nicola Bailey-Gibbs, solicitor and manager of criminal injuries at Hudgell Solicitors, said: “We have, over many years, taken CICA cases to review and appeal.

"The reasons given for many unsuccessful claims range from injuries not being serious enough to mental health conditions not being recognised.

“However, when we seek the advice of independent experts those initial decisions are often overturned.

“In this case, my client responded in the best way they possibly could during a terrorist attack by doing their duty and helping the public in what were horrific circumstances.

“Those awful scenes will remain with this person forever. They have had a profound and debilitating effect on their mental health.

“CICA awards are meant to acknowledge the effects a criminal or terrorist act has on a victim, even if no-one has ever been prosecuted, and in this case I feel it was wrong of CICA to dismiss the claim by saying in effect, ‘we’re sorry, but you were not there at the very moment when the explosion happened’."

Mrs Bailey-Gibbs has asked for a review of the decision on the basis that CICA should not limit “the incident” to the very moment the explosion happened, and that it should cover a wider period of time in these circumstances.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "We set up a dedicated team that has helped over 400 victims left with a range of serious physical and mental health problems as a direct result of the attack get compensation to aid their recovery, with more than £3.7 million paid out to date.

"For those witnesses and emergency workers who bravely rushed to the scene not eligible for taxpayer-funded compensation, we have instead provided other forms of help, including a dedicated 24/7 helpline that offers vital mental health support."

There is no threshold for applying to the scheme - seen as a "last resort" for those unable to access funding through other means - but victims who sustain minor or non-permanent injuries such as cut and bruises would not be eligible for a payout.

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