Whiplash tariff explained: UK compensation bands (2025/26)
Last updated · By Mustafa Bilgic
What the whiplash tariff is
The whiplash tariff is a fixed, government-set schedule of compensation figures for minor road-traffic whiplash. Before it existed, a solicitor or court valued each minor neck or back soft-tissue injury individually using case law and the Judicial College Guidelines. To control the cost and volume of low-value motor claims, Parliament passed the Civil Liability Act 2018, and the detailed amounts were set by the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. Since then, qualifying whiplash injuries are valued by a single figure that depends almost entirely on how long the symptoms last.
The tariff figures are set by the Ministry of Justice. They are reviewed periodically and were uprated for accidents on or after 31 May 2025, which are the rates shown on this page. Because the tariff is statutory, a claimant and an insurer cannot simply negotiate a different figure for the whiplash element — the band is fixed by the duration of the injury.
The whiplash tariff bands (accidents on/after 31 May 2025)
The table below sets out the whiplash-only tariff: the amount payable for the whiplash injury itself, based on how long the symptoms last (the "duration band"). These are the figures used by our whiplash compensation calculator for qualifying UK claims.
| Duration of symptoms | Tariff amount (whiplash only) |
|---|---|
| Not more than 3 months | £275 |
| More than 3 but not more than 6 months | £565 |
| More than 6 but not more than 9 months | £965 |
| More than 9 but not more than 12 months | £1,510 |
| More than 12 but not more than 15 months | £2,335 |
| More than 15 but not more than 18 months | £3,445 |
| More than 18 but not more than 24 months | £4,830 |
Source: Ministry of Justice, the Whiplash Injury Regulations (tariff for accidents on or after 31 May 2025). Figures © Crown copyright (Open Government Licence v3.0).
Psychological injuries and the exceptional-circumstances uplift
The tariff has two important refinements. First, there is a higher set of figures for cases where, as well as the whiplash, the claimant suffered one or more minor psychological injuries (such as travel anxiety) on the same occasion. The "with psychological injury" amount for each duration band is slightly higher than the whiplash-only figure above — it is built into the Regulations rather than being a separate add-on you negotiate.
Second, in exceptional circumstances a court has a limited power to award an uplift on the tariff figure — but only where the injury is exceptionally severe for its duration band, or the claimant's circumstances make the tariff figure exceptionally unfair. The uplift is capped (it cannot increase the tariff amount by more than a fixed percentage) and is, in practice, rarely applied. Do not assume your claim will attract it.
When the tariff does NOT apply
The tariff is narrow by design. It applies only when all of the following are true:
- the injury is whiplash (neck, back or shoulder soft-tissue) from a road-traffic accident;
- the injured person was an occupant of a motor vehicle (broadly, a driver or passenger);
- the symptoms last no more than two years; and
- the accident happened in England or Wales.
If your whiplash lasts longer than two years, or it was caused by something other than a road-traffic accident (for example a fall at work), or it happened outside England and Wales, the tariff does not apply. Those injuries are valued in the ordinary way using the Judicial College Guidelines — and because the JCG reflects the full impact of the injury, the result is usually higher than the equivalent tariff band would have been.
The Official Injury Claim portal
Most tariff whiplash claims are low value, so they are handled through a dedicated route rather than the normal court process. The Official Injury Claim portal is the government-backed online service for road-traffic injury claims where the injuries are worth under the small-claims limit (the whiplash reforms raised that limit for RTA claims). It is designed so that people can bring straightforward whiplash claims, including without a solicitor, with medical evidence obtained through the MedCo system. If your claim is more serious, includes significant other injuries, or falls outside the tariff, it will usually be handled outside the portal.
Putting it together
For a qualifying road-traffic whiplash claim, the maths is: tariff band (set by how long symptoms last) + any other injuries (valued on the Judicial College Guidelines) + your special damages (financial losses). Our whiplash compensation calculator applies the correct tariff band automatically, and the car accident calculator and homepage estimator do the same for whiplash arising from a crash. For the wider method, see how compensation is calculated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the whiplash tariff?
It is a fixed table of compensation amounts, set in law, for road-traffic whiplash injuries in England & Wales. Introduced by the Civil Liability Act 2018 and the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021, it values qualifying minor neck, back and shoulder soft-tissue injuries by a single figure based on how long the symptoms last, up to two years. The amounts are set by the Ministry of Justice.
How much is whiplash worth in the UK?
For tariff whiplash it depends on duration. For accidents on or after 31 May 2025 the bands run from £275 (symptoms up to 3 months) to £4,830 (18–24 months), with a slightly higher figure where there are also minor psychological injuries. Whiplash lasting more than two years, or non-RTA whiplash, is valued outside the tariff on the Judicial College Guidelines and is usually worth more.
What are the current tariff amounts (2025/26)?
For accidents on or after 31 May 2025 the whiplash-only tariff is: up to 3 months £275; up to 6 months £565; up to 9 months £965; up to 12 months £1,510; up to 15 months £2,335; up to 18 months £3,445; up to 24 months £4,830. A separate, slightly higher set applies where there are also minor psychological injuries, and a small uplift is possible in exceptional cases.
Does the tariff apply to all whiplash claims?
No. It applies only to whiplash from a road-traffic accident, where the injured person was an occupant of a motor vehicle, the symptoms last no more than two years, and the accident happened in England or Wales. Longer-lasting whiplash, non-RTA whiplash and accidents elsewhere fall outside the tariff and are valued on the Judicial College Guidelines.
Can I get more than the tariff?
Yes. If your whiplash lasts longer than two years or was not caused by an RTA, it is valued on the Judicial College Guidelines, usually for more. The tariff only covers the whiplash itself, so any other injuries and all your financial losses (lost earnings, treatment) are claimed on top, and a court can add a small uplift in exceptional cases.
Related guides & calculators
Whiplash calculator
Apply the correct tariff band to your road-traffic whiplash claim.
Open calculator →How compensation is calculated
General vs special damages and the maths behind every estimate.
Read the guide →