Church of England Announces Compensation Scheme for Abuse Victims

The Church of England has announced plans for a broad and ambitious compensation scheme for victims of abuse, which will be open to anyone who has faced physical, sexual, emotional or spiritual abuse by someone representing the Church.

The scheme will offer financial settlements, emotional and therapeutic support, and an apology as each survivor sees fit.

The Church has set aside £150m in initial funding, but the details of the scheme are still being finalised, and some survivors are concerned about being retraumatised by the application process.

The scheme is designed to provide a one-stop shop for survivors, but it is unclear how many people might come forward.

The Right Reverend Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, acknowledged that there is little idea of how many people might come forward, but promised that redress would be delivered in a timely manner.