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  • Miscarriage of justice overall compensation limits public consultation launched

    Topics:
    • Justice and the law

    Date published: 22 June 2026

    The Department of Justice is seeking views on proposals to amend miscarriage of justice overall compensation limits.

    The primary proposal under consideration is a 30% uplift to the existing limits in miscarriage of justice cases administered by the Department of Justice.

    The proposals would bring Northern Ireland into line with the position recently adopted in England and Wales.

    The new limits would be £1.3m where an individual has spent more than 10 years in custody and £650,000 in any other case. 

    The consultation also invites initial views on two broader structural reforms - a separate statutory maximum award for exceptionally long periods spent in custody or the removal of statutory maximum awards altogether. Both would require primary legislation. 

    The Department welcomes responses from all interested parties.

    Notes to editors:

    1.  The consultation is available at the consultation section of this website.
    2. Media queries should be directed to Press Office via Email or phone 028 9052 6444

    2.   To keep up to date with news from the Department follow us on : LinkedIn(external link opens in a new window / tab), Bluesky(external link opens in a new window / tab), Instagram(external link opens in a new window / tab), Youtube(external link opens in a new window / tab), Justice NI (@Justice_NI)

    3.  The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800 hrs and 0800 hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110

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