Last week, the Church of England announced that its long-anticipated Redress Scheme has received final approval from the General Synod. The Scheme, Redress Church of England, will offer financial redress as well as a formal apology to survivors of abuse at the hands of the Church. It will also offer survivors acknowledgement, therapeutic support and other forms of case-specific redress. The Church of England has stated that it aims to embody a trauma-informed and person-centred approach.
The Church began development of the Redress Scheme following the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published in 2022. The Church has now approved the legal framework of the Scheme, including eligibility criteria, types of abuse covered, and provisions for Church contributions and financial safeguards. It has also established how the Scheme will operate, including the application process, assessment criteria, appeals and data protection.
Following approval of its plan, the Redress Scheme has published some new information about how it will work.
How will the Scheme operate?
Applications will be made through a dedicated website and mobile app. Applicants will be asked to explain in their own words what happened to them. They will be asked to provide details such as dates, locations, and other supporting information.
The Church has stated that the process will be as straight-forward as possible and different options will be available, to allow survivors to apply in a way that best suits them. Emotional support will be signposted throughout, and applicants will also be able to pause and unpause their applications as they wish. The Church has also stated that it will fund legal assistance to ensure applicants can make informed decisions.
If the Church learns of the abuse for the first time through an application, the Scheme may pause the application to make a record and investigate.
The Scheme will run for five years from the day it opens, meaning applications should be made promptly.
What are the eligibility criteria?
We have limited information so far. The Church has confirmed that the Scheme will not be limited to recent abuse, meaning those who were abused many years ago will still be able to apply. It also will not matter whether the applicant was an adult or a child at the time of the abuse, or whether the perpetrator has since died.
What will compensation look like?
We have limited information so far about how compensation will work. We know that £150 million has been committed by the Church Commissioners to implement the Scheme and support survivors of abuse. It is unknown whether compensation will be tariff-based, according to the nature of the abuse, whether it will reflect the actual losses sustained by victims, or some combination of the two.
When will the Scheme open?
The next stage for the Scheme will be parliamentary approval and royal assent. It is not yet known when this process will take place.
Prospective applicants can register their interest on the Redress Scheme website and sign up to receive a notification once the opening date of the Scheme is known.
Can I still bring a civil claim?
A civil claim remains an alternative route to seeking compensation from the Church of England. There is no need to wait for the Redress Scheme to open if you wish to take this route.
The purpose of a civil claim is to compensate you for the past and future losses caused by sexual abuse. For example, you may have spent money on medical care or therapy, experienced disruption to your education or social life, or missed work or lost opportunities to advance your career. The aim of a civil claim is to place you in the position you would have been in if the sexual abuse had not occurred, as far as is possible in monetary terms.
Depending on the way the Redress Scheme quantifies its awards, it is possible that a civil claim will result in a higher award or settlement for you. However, there are certain considerations and risks in bringing a civil claim, which must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. For some, the Redress Scheme will be a simpler and less risky route.
To fully understand your options and make an informed decision, you should speak to a legal professional about your case.
If you have questions about what constitutes a claim or whether you are out of time, please know our trained specialist lawyers are waiting to hear from you, in a confidential and sensitive conversation with no obligation for further action.
Read more about the Church of England National Redress Scheme:
In February, the Church of England published further details of its National Redress Scheme. The Scheme is expected to open in Autumn 2024, with further details of how it will operate expected to be announced over the coming months.
If you are a survivor or victim, we may be able to help you bring a claim.
More about our work:
If you experienced abuse at the hands of the Church of England and are thinking about filing a claim, contact us now for a confidential discussion of your options.
McAllister Olivarius has a proud history of helping victims and survivors fight their abusers. We know how difficult it can be to discuss traumatic incidents from your past, but our experienced, trauma-informed solicitors will help guide you through the entire process.
Your initial consultation call with us is free, start your journey towards recovery today.