Written question asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Henley (Conservative) on Thursday, 9 February 2012.

Crime: Rioting

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many victims of the rioting in the summer of 2011 are waiting for compensation.

Answer: The Home Office does not make payments directly to individuals or businesses—this is the responsibility of insurers and police authorities. Insurers have settled 80 per cent of claims made by householders and have fully paid out, or made interim payments, to almost three-quarters of businesses affected by the riots. Over half of all valid claims have now been settled by police authorities. Outstanding claims include issues where documents have not yet been produced. We are striving to contact all claimants to ensure that they receive the help available to them. We are committed to reimbursing police authorities for the compensation they pay out, and it is in their interests to put in claims as swiftly as possible. Our key concern is to ensure that individuals and businesses receive the compensation to which they are entitled, and the majority already have.

Secondary information