New policy manual and list of injuries as of 1 January 2026

Policy manual

In order to be eligible for compensation from the Schadefonds, your application must comply with the conditions stipulated in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund Act (Wet schadefonds geweldsmisdrijven). These conditions and the way in which the Schadefonds assesses an application are explained in detail in the policy manual.

Policy manual - What has changed?

Psychological injury suffered by witnesses

You can receive compensation if you have suffered a psychological injury by unexpectedly being a witness to a violent or sexual offence.

Change as of 1 January 2026

People who suffer consequences shortly after the offence may now be eligible.
Examples:

• Seeing (the body of) the victim in the hospital.
• Identification at the mortuary.

Medical evidence of psychological injury is required in these situations.
See section 1.3.1.

Surviving relatives

Since 1 January 2012, the Schadefonds has provided compensation to surviving relatives of victims who died as a result of deliberate violent or sexual offences. Compensation will be available to more people in this group as of 1 January 2026.

New as of 1 January 2026

A child who was conceived before the offence, who was born afterwards and is still alive is also going to be considered a surviving relative.
See paragraph 2.1.

Amount of compensation in the event of loss of livelihood

An adult child of a deceased person who is still in secondary education can now also apply for compensation for loss of livelihood.
See E.2.

List of injuries

The list of injuries states the amounts that apply to each type of injury. The list of injuries provides information on:

• physical injuries
• psychological injuries

List of injuries - What has changed?

Unsightly scar

A more detailed explanation is given of when a scar is considered unsightly.
The assessment itself has not been changed.

Serious psychological injury in the event of a violent or sexual offence

Changes and clarifications have been made:

• A sexual offence without sexual penetration under aggravating circumstances has been added to injury category 1.
• A more detailed clarification is provided for the difference between injury categories 2 and 3 in relation to a sexual offence.
• In the event of a direct threat involving a knife or weapon, the aggravating circumstance of
  ‘contact with internal organs or vital structures’ has been removed.

See section 2A.

Assessment of psychological injury with medical information

The explanation of dependency has been expanded. This relates to a reduced ability to participate independently in daily life.

The conditions are clarified in the explanation of injury categories 4, 5 and 6.
The assessment has not been changed, but it is now clarified in more detail.
See section 2B.

Transition policy

• The new policy manual and list of injuries apply for applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026, irrespective of when the offence took place.
• The date of the application determines which policy guidelines and list of injuries are used.
• If the policy manual or list of injuries which apply as of 1 January 2026 are more favourable in the case of applications before that date, we will apply them.
• In the event of an objection we will use the policy manual and list of injuries which applied at the time of the decision.