Manchester Arena victims upset with compensation payments

The compensation scheme for victims of terror attacks, overseen by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), has faced criticism as being "broken" after survivors reported dissatisfaction with the process.

Survivors Against Terror conducted a report that identified concerns over the system's operations, with victims describing it as "unfair," "unreasonable," and lacking empathy.

Individuals injured in terrorist incidents can apply to CICA for an award to assist them in dealing with the effects of the attack. However, survivors have criticized the amounts paid out, with some considering the settlements to be derisory and insulting.

For instance, one survivor of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, in which 22 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured, expressed disappointment that their compensation was less than what their mother received for a whiplash injury.

Other survivors of the attack also voiced their discontent, stating that the compensation amounts did not align with the level of distress, pain, and suffering they will endure for the rest of their lives.

The report included testimonies from survivors of various terror attacks, such as the 2017 London Bridge attack, where eight innocent people were killed by Islamic terrorists. One survivor expressed regret over receiving compensation, finding it to be an insult.

Additionally, the report featured the account of a woman whose husband was murdered in the terror attack in Sousse, Tunisia, in 2015. Although she received £5,000 from CICA to repatriate her husband's body and pay for funeral costs, she was later ordered to repay the money after settling a civil claim against the travel company.

More than 130 survivors from 11 terror attacks participated in the survey, and nearly 70% of them described the compensation process as unfair and unreasonable. Almost two-thirds of those who made claims felt they were not treated with respect or empathy.

Brendan Cox, whose MP wife Jo Cox was murdered by a far-Right terrorist, criticized the CICA, stating that the organization, which is supposed to help survivors recover, is instead causing harm.