The Whiplash Injury (Amendment) Regulations 2025 introduce key changes to the compensation framework for whiplash injuries resulting from road traffic accidents in England and Wales.
These amendments, effective from 31 May 2025, are designed to adjust compensation amounts in line with inflation and ensure fair recompense for claimants, though it is still widely agreed by claimant representatives that the tariff remains far too low to properly compensate individuals who have suffered whiplash injuries.
Key changes effective from 31 May 2025:
1. 15% increase in compensation tariffs
Compensation amounts for whiplash injuries will rise by approximately 15% across all tariff bands. This adjustment accounts for inflation between 2021 and 2024 and includes a buffer for anticipated inflation until the next review in 2027.
2. Applicability to new claims only
The revised tariffs apply exclusively to injuries from accidents occurring on or after 31 May 2025. Claims related to accidents before this date will be assessed under the previous tariff structure.
3. Unchanged tariff structure
The existing structure remains, with compensation determined by injury duration:
- Physical injuries only
- Physical injuries with minor psychological injuries
Injuries lasting beyond two years continue to fall outside the fixed tariff system.
4. Continued use of the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal
The OIC portal remains the platform for processing low-value personal injury claims, including those under the updated tariffs. The portal will be updated to reflect the new compensation amounts without service interruption.
Differences between to the two tariffs
For accidents which occur prior to 31st May 2025 (but after 31st May 2021), the following Tariff will apply:
Duration of injury | Amount - Regulation 2(1)(a) | Amount - Regulation 2(1)(b) |
|---|---|---|
Not more than 3 months | £240 | £260 |
More than 3 months, but not more than 6 months | £495 | £520 |
More than 6 months, but not more than 9 months | £840 | £895 |
More than 9 months, but not more than 12 months | £1,320 | £1,390 |
More than 12 months, but not more than 15 months | £2,040 | £2,125 |
More than 15 months, but not more than 18 months | £3,005 | £3,100 |
More than 18 months, but not more than 24 months | £4,215 | £4,345 |
For accidents which occur on or after 31st May 2025, the following Tariff will apply:
Duration of injury | Amount - Regulation 2(1)(a) | Amount - Regulation 2(1)(b) |
|---|---|---|
Not more than 3 months | £275 | £300 |
More than 3 months, but not more than 6 months | £565 | £595 |
More than 6 months, but not more than 9 months | £965 | £1,025 |
More than 9 months, but not more than 12 months | £1,510 | £1,595 |
More than 12 months, but not more than 15 months | £2,335 | £2,435 |
More than 15 months, but not more than 18 months | £3,445 | £3,550 |
More than 18 months, but not more than 24 months | £4,830 | £4,975 |
Summary
The 2025 amendments to the whiplash compensation are a step forward in ensuring increases for inflation for injured claimants who are limited to receiving tariff-based compensation. However, claimant representatives will continue to push the government to ensure that both damages tariffs and fixed recoverable legal costs are continually and regularly increased to reflect inflation.
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