Financial and legal advice after a major incident
If you or someone you know is involved in a major incident you may require financial or legal help. Find out about compensation payments, state benefits and funding from disaster relief funds you may be able to apply for. Also, see guidance on setting up a disaster relief fund.
Financial assistance after a major incident
If you or someone you know has been involved in an emergency incident either in the UK or overseas, there may be financial assistance available to help with some of the immediate financial problems.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)
The CICA is responsible for administering the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme throughout England, Scotland and Wales. It pays compensation to eligible applicants who have been the victim of a violent crime, including terrorist attack.
You can contact them at:
CICA
Tay House
300 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4LN
Freephone: 0800 358 3601
To find out if you are eligible to apply for compensations under the scheme, you can complete the 'am I eligible' questionnaire on their website.
Benefits
You may be entitled to a range of benefits. The Department for Work and Pensions can provide advice about benefits that you may be able to claim if you are unable to work as a result of ill health or disability.
Use the link below for more general information on benefits and further links to information on specific benefits.
Insurance cover
There are various insurance policies that may cover you in the event of a major incident, such as personal accident insurance. Contact your insurer to find out if you are eligible.
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
CAB may be able to offer further advice and information on financial assistance.
Legal advice
If you or someone you know has been involved in a major incident, you may want to seek legal advice.
In some instances following a major incident, legal firms may offer their services pro bono (professional work undertaken without payment). If you do seek legal advice, it may be useful to ask if the firm has experience of assisting clients following an emergency incident.
For more information, see 'Getting legal aid'.
The links below give some background on help with legal costs in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Setting up a disaster relief fund
If you want to find out about how to organise a disaster relief fund, follow the link below. The guidance is produced by Disaster Action, a charity set up for survivors and people affected by disasters in the UK and abroad.
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- Source:
- DirectGov
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