The British Red Cross relief fund for UK victims of terrorism abroad provides financial assistance to people who have been seriously injured or bereaved by terrorist incidents overseas.
Currently, people affected by these incidents can encounter financial difficulties as many are not eligible for support from insurance schemes.
This fund – set up by the Red Cross at the request of the government – will provide immediate payments to help people as they try to recover from the incident.
Payment
Charitable grants of up to £15,000 will be available to help people deal with the financial difficulties they may experience.
An immediate payment of £3,000 will be made to people who have been bereaved or seriously injured. A further payment of £12,000 will be made available to the bereaved, and those people who been hospitalised for five days or more, or need continued outpatient appointments.
The grants are not compensation for what victims have suffered.
Assistance
We are closing the retrospective part of the British Red Cross Relief Fund in April 2012 as the government is launching a new compensation scheme for victims of terrorism overseas.
The government’s new statutory scheme will provide more comprehensive longer-term support, covering loss of earnings, compensation and expenses. The scheme will be active later in 2012, and will replace the second stage of the British Red Cross Relief Fund.
In the interim the government will run an ex gratia scheme, providing compensation as outlined in their consultation document “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses”. The British Red Cross will still be operating our second stage Relief Fund concurrently with the government’s ex gratia fund.
Contact
For more information, please contact Brianne Vally at bvally@redcross.org.uk.
We also have a dedicated message service at 0800 0725415, where victims and their families can leave their questions and their details if they think they are eligible.
Apply
To apply, complete and return the application form for bereaved victims or seriously injured victims of terrorism abroad.
The British Red Cross is a neutral and impartial organisation and does not take a view on the nature or definition of terrorism. Its role in administering this fund is that of a humanitarian organisation whose objective is to ensure people in crisis get the support they need.