Government to ban prisoners’ personal injury compensation claims

Posted 28/12/2011

The government is set to ban prisoners from making personal injury compensation claims.Justice secretary Ken Clarke will announce the plans next month, which would see those in jail stopped from demanding money as a result of accidents.A source close to the Conservative MP told the Daily Mail it is “ridiculous” so much money is being awarded to prisoners making personal injury compensation claims.”There is around £5 million a year paid out to convicted criminals and we intend to bring that to an end. That will allow us to save around £20 million,” they said.Soham murderer Ian Huntley is currently in the process of attempting to claim thousands of pounds in personal injury compensation, while figures show payouts and costs totalled more than £3 million last year.Claire Hockey, the mother of six-year-old Harley Chivers of East Side Row, Cwmtillery, recently told the South Wales Argus she is considering a personal injury claim against Blaenau Gwent Council after the boy broke his arm when a wall collapsed on him.