BBK Manifesto: The Government must act and implement all IICSA recommendations
Survivors of child sexual abuse are being denied full justice and support after the Government rejected key reforms, BBK says in its Manifesto for Injured People.
On 9 April 2025, Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones rejected key recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) aimed at reforming the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS). These changes would have made it easier for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to access financial redress. Instead, many will continue to face barriers when seeking the recognition and support they are entitled to, and BBK is campaigning for all recommendations to be implemented.
What is the IICSA and why does it matter?
The IICSA was established in 2015 to investigate how institutions failed to protect children from sexual abuse. It was the largest inquiry of its kind in UK history, shaped by in-depth research, expert testimony and, most importantly, the voices of victims and survivors. Its final report in 2022 set out urgent recommendations to improve access to justice and support.
In April 2025, the Government published its full response rejecting several proposals that would have made the compensation process fairer and more inclusive.
Which reforms were rejected?
The IICSA recommended that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme be amended to:
1. Cover all forms of child sexual abuse, including online-facilitated abuse, not just crimes categorised as violent
2. Remove the automatic exclusion of applicants with unspent convictions where those offences are likely linked to the abuse they suffered as children.
3. Extend the time limit for applications to seven years from the date the abuse was reported to the police, or from the age of 18 if reported in childhood, with discretion to extend further
The refusal to implement these changes means many victims and survivors will remain excluded from justice. These recommendations were built on years of evidence from charities, experts and those directly affected. Ignoring them fails the very people the scheme is intended to support.
Do the IICSA recommendations go far enough?
From working with my clients, I know that even extending the time period to seven years does not go far enough. Many of the survivors we work with take more than 20 years to come forward to report the abuse they suffered in their childhood.
Research shows most survivors of child sexual abuse do not disclose their abuse until adulthood, often many years after it happened. Perpetrators are frequently in positions of trust, using manipulation, coercion and secrecy to control their victims. Survivors may live for years with feelings of shame, fear, confusion and self-blame. The impact is lifelong: survivors often experience mental health conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder; many struggle with trust and relationships; and some turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to cope. This can lead to criminal convictions which, under current rules, automatically bar them from claiming compensation through the CICS.
The time limits in the current scheme make this worse. Survivors who finally find the strength to speak out, often decades later, are blocked from seeking redress simply because their claims are considered too late.
Whilst the IICSA recommendation on time limits is a good first step, any arbitrary time limit that is chosen fails to recognise the experience of survivors.
Why the Government must act
The people affected are often victims of institutional failures by local authorities, religious organisations, the care system and sports bodies that should have protected them. The abuse they endured was possible because of negligence, neglect, or in some cases, deliberate cover-ups. Denying these survivors fair access to compensation denies them recognition, accountability and a route to rebuilding their lives.
Our call to action
The Government must urgently reconsider its rejection of these recommendations and implement the IICSA’s proposals in full as well as completely removing time limits from these claims. The inquiry’s findings are grounded in years of careful research and survivor testimony. Victims and survivors deserve justice that is accessible, compassionate and free from unnecessary barriers. Anything less risks compounding the harm already caused and sends the wrong message about whose rights are valued.
Beyond the CICS reforms
The Government’s rejection of the IICSA’s recommendations on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is not the only sign of stalled progress. IICSA made 20 final recommendations in October 2022, yet as of mid-2025 none have been implemented in full.
Earlier this year, the Government committed to implementing some proposals, including shifting the burden of proof to defendants on time limits that restrict survivors from bringing civil claims; clarifying the law around apologies so institutions cannot withhold them for fear of legal liability; and creating a new Child Protection Authority. However, these commitments remain only promises at this stage, with no legislation or firm timetable for delivery.
The Survivors Trust said in a webinar in June 2025 that only three of the 20 recommendations are currently in progress, with none implemented at that time. Its update also highlighted that since the final report, an estimated 1.5 million children have been sexually abused in England and Wales, a stark reminder of the scale of the crisis and the cost of delay.
Although some limited commitments have been made, progress overall has been slow and fragmented. Several of the IICSA’s core recommendations remain unaddressed, and the Government has yet to take the kind of comprehensive action that survivors were promised.
This blog is part of our 2025/26 Manifesto for Injured People. At Bolt Burdon Kemp, we support injured people not only by winning their cases but by driving change. Guided by our clients’ experiences and partnerships with charities across the UK, we are raising awareness of the change we need to see to better support injured people. We will continue working with politicians from all parties to ensure injured people’s needs are not overlooked in Westminster or beyond. You can read our full manifesto here.
