A new Civil Liability Bill has been discussed in today’s Queen’s Speech (21 June 2017) drafted by a minority Conservative government. They claim this will ‘crack down’ on whiplash claims, which they ‘expect’ will reduce car insurance premiums by £35 a year.

There is simply no evidence of a ‘compensation culture’: every government report has said it's a perception, not a reality. The insurers have whipped up a ‘crisis’ whilst neglecting to mention that they have actually saved over £8bn since 2010.

Tom Jones, head of policy at Thompsons Solicitors.

Tom Jones, head of policy at Thompsons Solicitors, comments on how it will affect free or affordable legal representation for those injured on the roads or at work… 

“This is a desperate government looking for headlines. This will actually take money from the NHS and the Treasury and give it to hugely profitable insurers with no guarantee at all of any return to the consumer.  

"There is simply no evidence of a ‘compensation culture’: every government report has said it's a perception, not a reality. The insurers have whipped up a ‘crisis’ whilst neglecting to mention that they have actually saved over £8bn since 2010. 

“In the last parliament consumers were going to get a £50 reduction in premiums, yet now we are told the figure will be closer to £35. Another bill, another made up figure. The only guarantee here is that hundreds of thousands of working people are going to have their rights diminished and their access to free legal representation taken away.”