Time to apply for further financial assistance

Variations under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996

Generally, applications to vary a final award cannot be made under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 more than six years after the making of the original award.

If the applicant was under 18 years at the time the original award was made, the Tribunal may vary the award up until the applicant turns 24 years of age.

Variations under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1983

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1983 provides that an award made under that Act could be varied in any manner that the Tribunal thinks fit, provided that the variation application is not made more than six years after the day of injury or injury causing death. Because of the length of time that has elapsed since the repeal of the CIC Act 1983 and the introduction of the VOCA Act, it is extremely rare for the Tribunal to receive applications for variation of an award made under the 1983 Act.

Variations under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1972

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1972, the Tribunal may vary an award of assistance made in any manner that it thinks fit.  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1972 differs from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1983 and the Victims of Crime Assistance Act in that it did not set a time limit in which an applicant could make an application for variation.