Redress FAQs

The purpose of the Redress Scheme is to demonstrate in tangible and practical ways that the Church is truly sorry for its past failings relating to safeguarding and to help victims and survivors move towards rebuilding their lives.

People eligible to receive redress are likely to be offered financial payments, therapeutic, spiritual and emotional support, acknowledgment of wrongdoing on the part of the Church, and apology.

Survivors of Church-related abuse are at the heart the process to design the Scheme and all involved are committed to ensuring it is as survivor-centred as possible.

Overwhelming support for redress at General Synod - July 2023  
General Synod redress paper – July 2023  
Publication of proposed details of redress scheme – June 2023  

Following the Church hearings at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) the Church committed itself to be more survivor-centred. This included making arrangements to provide redress, which was recommended in the final IICSA report into the Church of England and Church in Wales, published in October 2020 (see Recommendation 7).

Given the complexities of the Church’s structure and our deep commitment to redress, the Church decided to develop a Redress Scheme specifically for people who have experienced abuse in the Church of England.

Statement on publication of IICSA report   
Response to IICSA recommendations   

While IICSA specifically reported on the sexual abuse of children, the Redress Scheme will offer redress to people who have experienced physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse (including spiritual abuse) at any age.

The Redress Project Board, chaired by Bishop Philip Mounstephen, and made up of survivors and a broad group of Church representatives, has oversight of the development of the Scheme.

A fulltime Redress Project Team, employed by the Church of England, has day-to-day responsibility for the project.

A Redress Survivor Working Group, formed of six people, all of whom have experience of Church-related abuse, meet regularly to discuss and provide insight to policy discussions. Two survivor representatives of the Survivor Working Group sit on the Project Board and take part in every policy discussion and vote on every decision. The Project Board are clear that they cannot develop this area of work without the Survivor Working Group and are deeply grateful for their guidance.

The Scheme Administrator, appointed by the Church for its expertise and knowledge, is working with the Project Team and Survivor Working Group to further develop the Scheme before launch. 

General Synod consider and vote on draft Redress legislation which will put in place the legal structures and processes that will ensure all survivors receive a consistent experience from the Redress Scheme.

This is a complex scheme to develop, and it is crucial that all the necessary financial and legislative structures are in place before the Scheme opens. Because of this, we cannot at this stage commit to a specific timeline.  

The Project Team and the Project Board, with the inclusion of survivors, are working hard with the General Synod to make sure the legislative process runs as smoothly as possible and that Synod members have all the information they need in order to make informed decisions.

Everybody involved in delivering the Redress Scheme is working hard to launch it as soon as possible. Please be assured that the Scheme will be promoted widely once a launch date has been agreed.

A recommended approach to funding the Redress Scheme was published in November 2023. The approach included contributions from insurers alongside contributions from the National Church (via the Church Commissioners), and local church bodies.

In February 2024, an update paper from the Redress Project Board confirmed the disappointing news that a major insurer had chosen not to participate in the Redress Scheme, (see page 4).

The Project Team is now exploring alternative funding models and speaking with survivors and others who are helping us to revise our approach.

We recognise that how the Scheme is funded is important to survivors of Church-related abuse, as well as the wider Church. Further details about our agreed approach will be announced soon.

The Scheme Administrator will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Scheme on behalf of the Church.

Kennedys Law was announced as the Scheme Administrator in March 2024.

The Scheme Administrator is Kennedys Law, a legal firm with a demonstrated commitment to delivering redress in a person-centred way and bring a wealth of expertise from their involvement in similar schemes.

They are currently working with the Redress Project Team and the Redress Survivor Working Group to further develop Scheme. When the Scheme is live, they will take responsibility for its day-to-day management on behalf of the Church. 

Kennedys Law was selected following a rigorous procurement process which involved survivors at every stage. Their commitment to putting survivors at the heart of the Scheme's design was evident throughout, and their experience in similar schemes gave the selection panel confidence in their ability to administer the Scheme effectively, consistently and fairly.

An anonymous member of the Redress Survivor Working Group, and member of the selection panel, said: "After a lengthy and thorough process, the survivor representatives and the Redress Project Team agreed that Kennedys is the most suitable firm to administer the Scheme. We are confident that they have the necessary experience and expertise and will be able to gain the confidence and trust of survivors. They were particularly impressive during the interview phase, demonstrating a clear desire to put survivors at the heart of the Scheme's design."

You can read about their appointment here. 

If you are a survivor of abuse perpetrated by someone representing the Church of England, you can apply to the National Redress Scheme. This includes physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse (including spiritual abuse) at any age.  

People living abroad will also be able to apply to the Scheme.

Survivors may disclose abuse that occurred a long time ago and we encourage people who are in this position to consider applying.

All applications will be treated fairly and consistently regardless of when or where the abuse occurred.

Yes, but…

As far as possible, applicants will be required to disclose details of any previous settlements, including financial compensation or payment received in the past in respect of the same incident of abuse.

If you have received any payments or awards, they will not be a bar to you applying to the Redress Scheme but they may be taken into account when calculating any financial award.

This takes into account the concern expressed by some survivors that the Redress Scheme should offer fairness for those who have never received any financial recognition in relation to their experience of abuse.

If someone is not eligible for financial redress, they may still be offered other forms of redress. This might include offers of apologies, acknowledgement of harm caused, access to therapeutic support, and other actions appropriate to their circumstances and wishes.

All survivors of sexual, physical, psychological, and emotional abuse (including spiritual abuse), perpetrated by someone representing the Church of England, will be eligible to apply for redress.   

Applications will be assessed according to an agreed set of criteria: firstly, as to whether it qualifies, and secondly, as to what level of redress is appropriate to the abuse experienced.

The set of criteria against which all applicants will be assessed is still under development and further details will be announced soon.

Yes. Applications will be accepted from people regardless of where they live now or where the abuse occurred.

Yes. Where the abuse occurred is not relevant to the assessment of an application.

Whether your abuser has died or not isn’t relevant to the assessment of an application. However, applicants are likely to be required to confirm details of their abuser.

The National Redress Scheme is not yet open to applications. 

When it opens, applicants will be able to choose how to apply from a range of options including a secure Redress Scheme website and online portal, telephone helpline, or paper-based form.

The online application process will allow you to save your application so you can complete it in your own time; the telephone helpline will support those unable to access the website; and the Scheme will accept paper-based applications if this is preferred.

The application process in all its forms will be managed by the Scheme Administrator and will be as straight forward as possible, with offers of practical assistance and support at every step.

A decision has not yet been taken about who will assess applications to the Redress Scheme. We continue to liaise closely with the Redress Survivor Working Group about this important issue.

We are committed to transparency and everyone applying to the Redress Scheme will have a clear understanding about who will be involved in assessing their application.

We recognise that sharing details of your abuse can be traumatic and we are working closely with the Redress Survivor Working Group to ensure the application process reduces any unnecessary trauma or distress.

Practical assistance and emotional support throughout the process will be offered free of charge.

Applicants may have to confirm details of their experience so that it is clear to those assessing the application that the abuse was more likely than not to have happened.

We acknowledge that being asked to share any information can be traumatic and we are committed to creating an application process that reduces any unnecessary trauma or distress.

Practical assistance and emotional support throughout the process will be offered free of charge.

Yes. Practical support to complete and submit your application will be offered to you along every step of the way. Free independent legal advice will also be offered to help you understand the technical details relating to the financial award and other forms of redress.

The idea of applying to the Redress Scheme may feel daunting. We are mindful of this and the application process is being designed to be as survivor-centred as possible.

Members of the Redress Survivor Working Group have been clear that the process should be non-adversarial, non-litigious and free of legalistic jargon. We are working hard to make sure the application process is as simple and as straight forward as possible. 

Every application will be assessed consistently against an agreed set of criteria to ensure fairness for all.

Every survivor’s experience is different, and inevitably, some applications will be more complex than others. When the Scheme opens the expected timeframe will be stated to applicants and ongoing, survivor-centred communications will be factored into process so that the status of your application is clear at all times.

The question of anonymity is very important and we are giving careful consideration to this with members of the Redress Survivor Working Group.

Personal information will only be used with your permission for the necessary purposes of your application and will be protected securely. Full details of how your data is used will be clearly communicated to you during the application process.

We have not yet published details of the financial awards. This is one of a number of policy areas that the Project Board, with the insight and input of the Redress Survivor Working Group, continue to give careful consideration to.

Details, including the maximum and minimum awards, will be published soon to ensure transparency and to help applicants understand in advance the range of financial awards available through the Scheme. 

Redress is about more than just money. The Project Board has committed to a Scheme that offers other forms of redress, such as individual therapeutic, spiritual and emotional support, acknowledgment of wrongdoing and apology on the part of the Church. 

The insights and experiences of survivors continue to shape this important policy area. Further details will be announced later in 2024.