Stop government cutting compensation for victims of crime

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Stop the government cutting compensation for victims of crime

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On Thursday the government is going to try and push through controversial cuts to compensation for the victims of crime. If they succeed, it will mean that victims of crime - including dog attack victims - who have nowhere to turn for compensation will have their last lifeline taken away.

Proposals to change the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS) were withdrawn in September after cross-party opposition. But they have been brought back and go before the Delegated Legislation Committee at 11:30am on Thursday November 1. The government has appointed MPs holding parliamentary private secretary (PPS) positions to the committee who are obliged to vote along government lines in preparation for the meeting.

If your MP is on the committee list below, please contact them to raise concerns about this unjust cut which will hit the most vulnerable people at exactly the moment when they need support most.

If these proposals are voted through by this unelected committee it will mean that the victims of violent crime - such as muggings and dog attacks - who are unable to secure compensation through the courts or insurance companies could be left with nowhere to turn for help. Many others would only qualify for vastly reduced sums.

CICS already only makes awards to those who cannot receive recompense from any other source.

All victims who are eligible for CICS have received a serious injury. Only injuries that disable the victim for at least six weeks are compensated. Compensation is very important to victims, both financially and emotionally, and in most cases is a modest sum.

If your MP is on this committee list please contact them and ask them to vote against this cut.

Jim Dobbin - chair (Labour/Co-op, Heywood & Middleton) dobbinj@parliament.uk

Heidi Alexander - Labour, Lewisham East heidi.alexander.mp@parliament.uk

David Blunkett - Labour, Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough blunkettd@parliament.uk

Robert Buckland - Conservative, South Swindon. Justice Select Comm robert.buckland.mp@parliament.uk

Katy Clark - Labour, North Ayrshire & Arran clarkk@parliament.uk

Rosie Cooper - Labour, West Lancashire cooperre@parliament.uk

Bill Esterson - Labour, Sefton Central bill.esterson.mp@parliament.uk

David Evennett (Whip) - Conservative, Bexleyheath & Crayford david.evennett.mp@parliament.uk

Tim Farron - Lib Dem, Westmorland & Lonsdale farront@parliament.uk

Rob Flello (Shadow Minister) - Labour, Stoke South flellor@parliament.uk

Helen Grant (Minister) - Conservative, Maidstone & Weald helen.grant.mp@parliament.uk

Rebecca Harris - Conservative, Castle Point rebecca.harris.mp@parliament.uk

John Howell - Conservative, Henley. PPS to Andrew Lansley howelljm@parliament.uk

Jessica Lee - Conservative, Erewash. PPS to Dominic Grieve, Attorney General

Tessa Munt - Lib Dem, Wells. PPS to Vince Cable jessica.lee.mp@parliament.uk

Bob Neill - Conservative, Bromley & Chislehurst bob.neill.mp@parliament.uk

Teresa Pearce - Labour, Earith & Thamesmead teresa.pearce.mp@parliament.uk

Lee Scott - Conservative, Ilford North. PPS to Chris Grayling scottle@parliament.uk

Jim Shannon - DUP, Strangford jim.shannon.mp@parliament.uk

Resources

You can use our CICS model letter to MPs and copy and paste it into an email, or use your own words.

Read our Briefing to House of Lords on CICS for more details about the scheme and what cuts would mean.

Paul's story:

Paul Coleman, a Royal Mail postman in Sheffield, suffered a horrific dog attack in 2007 when delivering mail which left him needing extensive surgery, skin grafts and leaving him 30% disabled for life. He won a court case against the dog owner and was awarded damages and compensation. But because the owner was unemployed and had no assets Paul received nothing. He applied to the CICS and eventually received £7,500, not much considering the injuries he has to live with for the rest of his life. Under the government's proposed changes Paul wouldn't be allowed to apply to CICS and would have been left with nowhere to turn.

The scheme is already rigidly policed, with over half of claims refused. In 2011/12, of 58,000 applicants, over 30,000 claims (52%) were disallowed.

[pants123]

seems to me this DICTATORSHIP CONING CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT want to bleed every normal working class person of this country of, everything they have,,, dignity, respect, money, (what little people have left), work place rights, pensions, savings,
and every other thing they can strip away from the working people of this country.. it's about time politicians, MP, and all those toffs, got a good piece of someone's boot up their back sides, and see how they like it constantly being kicked to the ground instead of the working class folks of this nation.