The Labour government has quietly dropped plans to implement a national compensation scheme for victims of child sexual abuse, despite it being a key recommendation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and a promise made under the previous Conservative administration.
The National Redress Scheme was designed to provide financial compensation to survivors who have struggled to secure justice through civil courts, often because of time limits on historical abuse claims or the deaths of perpetrators. However, in a recent progress report published by the Home Office, Labour confirmed it is not moving forward with the scheme due to budgetary constraints.
“In the current fiscal environment, this recommendation is very difficult to take forward,” the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Progress Update stated.
The decision has sparked criticism from abuse survivors, legal experts, and campaigners who argue that victims are being abandoned by a government that previously committed to implementing all recommendations of the Jay Report, the final output of the seven-year-long IICSA, which exposed institutional failures across decades.
Marie, 71, is one such victim. She was abused at Greenfield House Convent in St Helens between 1959 and 1962. Speaking to Sky News, she recounted being beaten, dehumanised, and sexually assaulted while in the care of the Catholic-run institution. Her attempts to sue were blocked because her case was filed decades after the abuse occurred. She is still fighting for justice.
“The money is about justice,” she said. “It’s about all the other people who have had to suffer this abuse.”
Peter Garsden, president of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers, called the decision “a betrayal,” warning that civil cases can take years and still fail, especially in historical cases where institutions argue fair trials are impossible. “The Redress Scheme would be quicker, much more straightforward, and much more likely to give justice to the victims,” he said.
While the Labour government has acted on some IICSA recommendations—such as proposing changes to the 1980 Limitation Act to remove time limits on civil claims—advocates say those changes come too late for many. Without the Redress Scheme, victims like Marie and others will likely see no compensation.
In contrast, governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland have already established and funded similar redress schemes, paying out hundreds of millions to survivors.
The backlash has grown louder after revelations that Labour has now reversed course on two of the 20 IICSA recommendations, despite having pledged publicly to implement them in full.
Victim support groups are calling for a rethink, urging Labour ministers not to make survivors of child sexual abuse bear the cost of fiscal tightening.
“This is not just about money, it’s about recognising the lifelong harm these people have suffered,” Garsden said. “Abuse victims deserve more than broken promises.”
If you or someone you know is affected by the issues in this article, support is available from organisations such as the NSPCC (0808 800 5000) and NAPAC (0808 801 0331).
Main Image: Keir Starmer ©House of Commons CC BY 3.0
