WIREDGOV

The Riot Damages Act will be independently reviewed to ensure it protects the vulnerable and provides value for money, the government announced yesterday.

The review will examine the existing criteria which determines when compensation is payable.

This includes key issues such as the definition of a riot, who should be liable and what level of compensation is suitable.

Time for reform

Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice Rt Hon Damian Green said:

The Riot Damages Act was written more than a century ago and so it is only right that we take action to ensure it is fit for purpose.

The aftermath of the 2011 riots showed the need for improvements to speed up the payment of compensation to those who need it and weed out frivolous claims.

This independent review will consider how best to reform the Act so it protects the most vulnerable and provides value for money to the taxpayer.

Former senior civil servant Neil Kinghan will lead the review. Mr Kinghan has extensive government experience and worked as an independent reviewer to Wandsworth Council - assessing the response of the police and local authorities to the riots of August 2011.

Consultation

The review should conclude by September and will be followed by a public consultation.

The vast majority of claims from the August 2011 riots have been decided. Only two per cent of uninsured claims have not yet been settled and only nine per cent of payments to insurance companies from Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are outstanding.