Compensation body 'adds to victims' woes'

The authority responsible for compensating victims of violent crimes has been strongly criticised for a worsening service.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (Cica) is taking longer to deal with claims even though the amount of claims has dropped with the fall in violent crime, a report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has found.

Chief auditor Sir John Bourn said the authority's performance had got worse since he last reported on it in 2000.

"It is taking longer to deal with cases, it has not reduced the number of ineligible applications and has frequently missed its targets over the years.

"Delays in resolving these issues can make it more difficult for victims to move on from a traumatic experience," he warned, but added that a major overhaul at the organisation was beginning to bring some improvements.

Between 1998/9 and this year, the average amount of time taken to resolve a case has increased from 364 to 515 days, a rise of more than 40 per cent, despite a 23 per cent fall in the number of claims.

In the same period, the number of cases resolved per year dropped from 74,900 to 59,100 and, as of October this year, there were a total of 81,600 unresolved cases with the authority, and another 2,400 in appeal.

The NAO's report pointed out that this worsening in service had all happened at the same time as the non-departmental public body’s administration costs had risen by 54 per cent, allowing for inflation. The average cost of processing a case is now £400.

Edward Leigh, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said the net result of this was that the "taxpayer is paying even more money for a worse service".

The auditor's also described Cica's processes as "bureaucratic and repetitive" and criticised the failure to reduce the number of ineligible and unsuccessful claims, which remains at about 50 per cent.

Leigh added: "The authority is supposed to offer relief and help people who have been through traumatic experiences, but too often, it adds to victims' woes."

Responding to the report, authority chief executive Carole Oatway, said reforms and improvements were already under way – and the NAO confirmed that early indications from Cica were "encouraging".

Auditors also recommended that organisation improve communication with applicants and potential applicants, with better advice about the essential information needed for claims.