Riot Compensation Act 2016 Explained

Short Title:	Riot Compensation Act 2016
Type:	Act
Parliament:	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long Title:	An Act to repeal the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 and make provision about types of claims, procedures, decision-making and limits on awards payable in relation to a new compensation scheme for property damaged, destroyed or stolen in the course of riots.
Year:	2016
Citation:	2016 c. 8
Introduced Commons:	Mike Wood
Introduced Lords:	Lord Trefgarne
Territorial Extent:	England and Wales
Royal Assent:	23 March 2016
Commencement:	6 April 2017
Replaces:	Riot (Damages) Act 1886
Status:	current
Original Text:	https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/8/enacted
Legislation History:	https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/2015-16/riotcompensation.html
Revised Text:	https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/8
Theyworkforyou:	https://www.theyworkforyou.com/search/?q=Riot+Compensation+Bill

The Riot Compensation Act 2016 (c. 8) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repeals the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 and modernizes the procedures for the payment of compensation to persons whose property has been injured, destroyed or stolen during a riot.

It arose as a ballot bill sponsored by Mike Wood MP, following Government review and consultations on the subject, and it received Home Office support to expedite its passage.^[1]

Background

As a result of the 2011 England riots, significant problems were exposed concerning the administration of claims intended to be indemnified under the scheme established under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886. An independent review of the Act reported in 2013 that:

• the language of the Act needed to be modernized;
• compensation payable to insurers should be capped;
• it should be extended to cover other types of property such as motor vehicles;
• it should be based on the replacement value of the property damaged, but not include any consequential loss;
• the Home Office should work with the insurance industry to improve claims administration; and
• interim payments should be made available with respect to claims.

Following a round of public consultations, the Government broadly accepted the reviewer's recommendations, including extending limited compensation for damage to motor vehicles whose policies do not have coverage for riot damages, and further specified that the statutory definition for a riot should be drawn from the Public Order Act 1986.^[2]

The implementing bill was introduced on 24 June 2015, and received royal assent on 23 March 2016.

Significant changes

The Act introduces several key changes, including:

• allowing insurers who have met claims from people or businesses to claim compensation from the local policing body:^[3]
• allowing people and businesses, which are not insured, to claim compensation from the local policing body;^[4]
• requiring that the amount of compensation must reflect only the loss directly resulting from the damage, destruction or theft of the property, and in particular, must not reflect any consequential loss resulting from it;^[5]
• ending unlimited compensation, setting a £1m cap on each claim;^[6] and
• allowing for claims on motor vehicles which are not insured for riot damage, but which are covered by an insurance policy at the time.^[7]

Coming into force

Authority for making necessary regulations by way of statutory instrument^[8] came into effect on royal assent. The remainder of the Act took effect on 6 April 2017.^[9]

Sources

• Web site: Independent Review of the Riot (Damages) Act 1886: Report of the Review. Kinghan. Neil. September 2013. .
• Web site: Riot Compensation Act 2016. . 2016. London. Kennedys Law LLP. .
• Web site: Riot Compensation Bill: Explanatory Notes. . 23 February 2016. House of Lords. .

External links

• • Web site: Consultation outcome: Reform of the Riot (Damages) Act. . 12 March 2015. www.gov.uk. Home Office.

Notes and References

1. United Kingdom. Riot Compensation Bill (Money): Queen’s recommendation signified. House of Commons. 16 Dec 2015. 1650.
2. Web site: Reform of the Riot (Damages) Act 1886: Summary of Consultation Responses and Conclusions. . March 2015. 18–20, 27–29 . Home Office.
3. s. 1(2)
4. s. 1(1)
5. s. 8(2)
6. s. 8(1)
7. s. 2 and Schedule
8. s. 11
9. si. 2017. 379. The Riot Compensation Act 2016 (Commencement) Regulations 2017.