UK injury compensation has two parts. General damages pay for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity of the injury itself, and are valued by reference to the Judicial College Guidelines and comparable past cases. Special damages reimburse your actual financial losses — lost earnings, treatment, care, travel and future costs — with no cap. There is no fixed price for any injury: the figure depends on severity, your recovery, your individual losses and the evidence.
"How much will I get?" is the first question almost everyone asks, and the honest answer is that there is no off-the-shelf figure. UK compensation is built up from your specific injury and your specific losses, not read off a price list (with the narrow exception of the whiplash tariff). This guide explains the two building blocks of every claim and the factors that move the figure up or down.
One thing to be clear about from the outset: we are an independent information service, not a law firm and not a firm of solicitors. Nothing here is legal advice about your own situation. For that, speak to an SRA-regulated solicitor or use the official sources we signpost below.
General damages: the injury itself
General damages compensate for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by the injury — the impact on your life rather than your wallet. To value them fairly and consistently, solicitors and courts use the Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, a regularly updated reference giving bracket figures for every type of injury, alongside reported decisions in comparable cases. Severity, the length of recovery, any permanent effects and the strength of your medical evidence all drive where you sit in the bracket.
Special damages: your financial losses
Special damages reimburse the actual money the injury has cost you, and they are not capped. Typical heads include lost earnings (past and future), treatment and rehabilitation costs, care and assistance (even unpaid help from family can be valued), travel to appointments, aids and equipment, and any future losses where the injury affects your earning capacity long-term. In a serious case, special damages can dwarf the general-damages figure. Our what compensation covers guide lists these in detail.
The whiplash tariff exception
One important exception breaks the usual valuation method: road-traffic whiplash lasting up to 24 months for vehicle occupants aged 18+. For these, general damages are set by a fixed government tariff under the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021, not by the Judicial College Guidelines. Your financial losses are still added on top as normal. Vulnerable road users (cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, horse riders) are exempt from the tariff. See our whiplash guide for the bands.
What pushes the figure up or down
Several things move the final number. Contributory negligence — where you were partly at fault, for example by not wearing a seatbelt — can reduce the award by a percentage. Pre-existing conditions may limit what is attributable to the accident. Strong, consistent medical and financial evidence tends to support a higher, more defensible figure, while gaps and inconsistencies invite challenge. The repayment of certain benefits under the compensation-recovery scheme can also affect what reaches you — see our benefits and recovery guide.
Why online "compensation calculators" mislead
⚠️ Treat instant payout estimates with caution
Online "compensation calculators" that promise a precise figure from a few clicks can't account for your prognosis, your losses or any reduction for contributory fault — the things that actually decide value. A realistic valuation needs a medical report and a full schedule of losses. Use estimates only as a rough sense of scale, and get a proper assessment from an SRA-regulated solicitor before relying on any number.
Frequently asked questions
How is injury compensation calculated in the UK?
It is built from two parts: general damages for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity of the injury (valued using the Judicial College Guidelines and comparable cases), and special damages for your actual financial losses such as lost earnings, care and treatment, which are not capped. Road-traffic whiplash up to 24 months is the exception, valued by a fixed tariff.
Is there a fixed amount for each injury?
No — apart from the road-traffic whiplash tariff, there is no fixed price. The Judicial College Guidelines give brackets, but where you fall within a bracket depends on severity, recovery time, permanent effects and your individual losses, all supported by medical and financial evidence.
Are online compensation calculators accurate?
Not reliably. They cannot account for your medical prognosis, your specific financial losses, or any reduction for contributory negligence — the factors that actually determine value. Treat any instant figure as a very rough guide only and seek a proper assessment from a regulated solicitor.
Can my compensation be reduced if I was partly at fault?
Yes. Under the principle of contributory negligence, an award can be reduced by a percentage reflecting your share of the blame — for example for not wearing a seatbelt. The reduction depends on the facts and the impact your conduct had on the injuries you suffered.
Do I get the full amount of my compensation?
Usually most of it, but certain state benefits paid because of the accident may have to be repaid to the Department for Work and Pensions under the compensation-recovery scheme, and any conditional-fee success fee or insurance premium may be deducted under your agreement. Your solicitor should explain the net figure before you settle.
Get help from official, free sources
- GOV.UK — official guidance on injury claims, the courts and your rights
- Citizens Advice — free, impartial advice on making a claim
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) & The Law Society — check and find a regulated solicitor
- Official Injury Claim (OIC) — the free portal for lower-value road-traffic injury claims
- Civil Procedure Rules (justice.gov.uk) — the rules and pre-action protocols that govern claims