A Church of England abuse scheme to compensate survivors has been announced.
The Church of England has recently approved a redress scheme for survivors of Church-related abuse. This initiative follows years of consultation and input from survivors. The resulting scheme will, says the Church, offer them financial compensation, access to therapy, and formal acknowledgement of the wrongs that have been done.
The scheme has to go through Parliament before it can formally commence. However it is expected to cover the following sorts of abuse perpetrated by those associated with the Church of England:
- Sexual abuse
- Physical abuse
- Spiritual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
- Neglect
The compensation scheme will allow those who suffered abuse many years ago to make an application. There will be a time limit of five years to make an application under the scheme, running from the date it starts.
While exact details on the compensation sums survivors will receive have not been released, the Church has committed £150 million to fund it.
Abuse specialist Elizabeth Duncan previously spoke to the BBC about her hopes that the scheme would offer proper redress to survivors of Church-related abuse. Commenting on this development, she said:
“I am heartened by the announcement of the Church of England’s redress scheme for abuse survivors. It is a positive step forward, and I hope that it passes through Parliament quickly so that those affected can begin making their applications. This will allow them to take a crucial step toward healing and moving forward with their lives.”
How we can help with Church of England abuse compensation claims
For those considering applying, get in touch with our free confidential helpline to talk through your options. Our experienced team of lawyers has handled various cases involving the Church of England and other religious organisations. They have also assisted clients with applications to other redress schemes, including the Harrods redress scheme.
As experts in abuse compensation law we can usually deal with claims on a No Win, No Fee basis.
If you are a survivor of Church of England abuse, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation by phoning on 0333 888 0404 or by emailing [email protected]
