Since the 2021 whiplash reforms, most UK road-traffic whiplash injuries are paid at a fixed government tariff based on how long your symptoms last. For accidents on or after 31 May 2025 the tariff runs from £275 (up to 3 months) to £4,830 (18–24 months) for whiplash alone. Use the calculator below to find your figure, then add any special damages (lost earnings, treatment, travel) on top.
If you have been rear-ended at a junction or shunted in slow traffic, the question is almost always the same: how much is my whiplash claim worth? Unusually for personal injury, the answer for most people is now a precise number rather than a range — because the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 replaced individual valuation with a fixed national tariff for road-traffic soft-tissue injuries to the neck, back and shoulder lasting up to two years. This calculator applies the correct tariff for your accident date and prognosis.
Whiplash tariff calculator
How the whiplash tariff works
The tariff applies to whiplash injuries from road traffic accidents where the injured person was a driver or passenger aged 18 or over, the injury is to the neck, back or shoulder, and the symptoms are expected to last no more than 24 months. Instead of a doctor and solicitor negotiating a figure within a guideline bracket, the law sets a single amount for each duration band. The figure is driven almost entirely by your prognosis — the medical estimate, taken from a fixed-cost medical report (usually through MedCo), of how long your symptoms will take to settle.
There is a small uplift where the same accident also caused a minor psychological injury such as travel anxiety. Importantly, the tariff covers only the pain, suffering and loss of amenity of the whiplash itself. Your financial losses — lost wages, physiotherapy, prescription costs and travel to appointments — are special damages and are added separately, which is why two people on the same tariff band can still recover very different totals.
The whiplash tariff tables
Two tables are now in force depending on your accident date. The 2025 amendment uprated the original 2021 figures by around 15% for newer accidents.
| Duration of symptoms | Whiplash only | With minor psychological injury |
|---|---|---|
| Not more than 3 months | £240 | £260 |
| More than 3 to 6 months | £495 | £520 |
| More than 6 to 9 months | £840 | £895 |
| More than 9 to 12 months | £1,320 | £1,390 |
| More than 12 to 15 months | £2,040 | £2,125 |
| More than 15 to 18 months | £3,005 | £3,100 |
| More than 18 to 24 months | £4,215 | £4,345 |
| Duration of symptoms | Whiplash only | With minor psychological injury |
|---|---|---|
| Not more than 3 months | £275 | £300 |
| More than 3 to 6 months | £565 | £595 |
| More than 6 to 9 months | £965 | £1,025 |
| More than 9 to 12 months | £1,510 | £1,595 |
| More than 12 to 15 months | £2,335 | £2,435 |
| More than 15 to 18 months | £3,445 | £3,550 |
| More than 18 to 24 months | £4,830 | £4,975 |
Source: the whiplash tariff set out in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 and the Whiplash Injury (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (GOV.UK / legislation.gov.uk). Figures are statutory and fixed.
Worked example
Priya is rear-ended at a roundabout in July 2026. Her MedCo report says her neck pain should settle within about 10 months, and she also developed mild travel anxiety. Using the post-31-May-2025 table, her tariff is the £1,595 figure (9–12 months, with a minor psychological injury). Separately, she lost £600 of earnings, paid £180 for physiotherapy and £40 in travel. Those special damages of £820 are added, giving a likely total of around £2,415 — the tariff is only part of the picture.
When the tariff does not apply
The fixed tariff is narrower than many people realise. It does not apply, and your claim is valued in the ordinary way against the Judicial College Guidelines, where:
- symptoms are expected to last more than 24 months;
- you were a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist rather than in the vehicle;
- you were under 18 at the date of the accident, or you are a “vulnerable road user”;
- the accident happened at work or outside the road-traffic regime; or
- there are other injuries (a fractured wrist, a serious back injury) that are valued separately and can lift the claim above the small-claims limit.
To estimate a non-tariff claim, including special damages and any deductions, use our personal injury compensation calculator. For the procedure itself, see the Official Injury Claim portal explained and our step-by-step whiplash guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much is whiplash worth in the UK?
Since the 2021 whiplash reforms, most road-traffic whiplash injuries lasting up to 24 months are paid at a fixed government tariff rather than valued individually. For accidents on or after 31 May 2025 the tariff runs from £275 (symptoms up to 3 months) to £4,830 (18–24 months) for whiplash alone, with slightly higher figures where there is also a minor psychological injury. Symptoms lasting more than 24 months fall outside the tariff.
Did the whiplash tariff go up in 2025?
Yes. Following a statutory review, the Whiplash Injury (Amendment) Regulations 2025 increased the tariff by roughly 15% for accidents on or after 31 May 2025. Accidents between 31 May 2021 and 30 May 2025 still use the original lower tariff.
Can I get more than the tariff amount?
Sometimes. A court can increase a tariff award by up to 20% in exceptional circumstances, and you can always claim special damages (lost earnings, treatment, care and travel) on top. Any non-whiplash injuries from the same accident are valued separately.
Do I need a solicitor for a whiplash claim?
For straightforward RTA whiplash claims under £5,000 you are expected to use the free Official Injury Claim portal yourself. A solicitor becomes valuable where injuries are mixed or serious, liability is disputed, you were a child or pedestrian, or symptoms last beyond two years.
Related guides: whiplash claims explained, road traffic accident claims, the OIC portal, how compensation is valued, no win no fee and all claim types.
Get help from official, free sources
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) — check a solicitor is regulated
- The Law Society — Find a Solicitor — accredited PI specialists
- Citizens Advice — free, impartial guidance on your rights
- GOV.UK — courts, time limits and the Official Injury Claim portal