In July 2025, the Church of England announced that its long-awaited Redress Scheme is close to opening.
Key questions surrounding the Church of England Redress Scheme
Below, our Head of Abuse Claims, Malcolm Johnson, has answered some key FAQs about the Scheme:
What kind of abuse can you claim for under the Church of England Redress Scheme?
Compensation will be paid for sexual, physical, spiritual and financial abuse as well as neglect and maltreatment.
Who is eligible to make a claim?
An Applicant making a claim to the Scheme has to meet one of two conditions.
Condition One is that when the abuse is carried out, the person who carried out the abuse had authority to perform a role in the Church of England, and there is a close connection between the activities that the Church authorised the abuser to do, and the actual carrying out of the abuse.
Condition Two is much more complex, but very briefly, an Applicant can make a claim where the abuser had authority to perform a role in the Church of England and before the abuse happened, a “Church officer” was aware or ought to have been aware of a significant risk that the abuser might carry out abuse of the same or a similar nature.
Is there a time limit for Church of England abuse claims?
The Scheme will be open for five years. In relation to the time when the abuse actually happened, there is no bar on someone bringing a claim from many years back.
What happens if I am already suing the Church?
You can’t bring a claim through the civil courts and apply under the Scheme at the same time. If you apply to the Scheme, you waive any right to sue the Church in court.
How is the compensation calculated?
An award can be anything between £5,000 and £660,000, which is calculated according to a formula set by the Church.
Will the Church of England Redress Scheme pay for the costs of a solicitor?
In a word, “yes” but only up to £5,000 plus VAT, and only where the solicitor agrees not to deduct any costs from the applicant’s compensation. If these costs are not enough to get you the compensation that you deserve, you may need to agree with your solicitor to deduct legal costs from your compensation.
Contact our team today
If you would like to talk to someone about this Scheme, or another potential abuse claim, Malcolm and his team are here to help. Call free on 0808 164 0808 or fill in the contact form and someone will be in touch.
