Personal injury trusts

We can help you set up a trust so you can benefit from the money as you’re supposed to – to cover living expenses, lost earnings, or paid medical treatments – without losing out on other entitlements.

Our Personal Injury Trust department is the largest in the UK. We can give you expert help and advice on creating and managing a trust, or on setting up a trust if one of your children has been awarded compensation for an injury.

Speak To Someone Today

How Do Personal Injury Trusts Work?

If you have been awarded compensation for a personal injury either as a result of a legal claim or because you have received an insurance policy pay out , you may find that you are no longer eligible for certain means tested state benefits including Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Employment support allowance and Housing Benefit.

To ensure that your compensation is not taken into account when deciding whether you are entitled to benefits, and to help to protect your future, you may be able to place your money in a Personal Injury Trust. Personal Injury Trusts might allow you to continue receiving state benefits. A personal injury trust is an account where you keep compensation money from an accident.

It’ll be kept safe and managed by trustees if you’re unable to manage your own money after an accident.

Money held in a Personal Injury Trust can be accessed by “trustees”. Trustees manage the trust and will usually be you and your spouse or partner, or a parent, but may also be solicitors, especially if the compensation is for a child. The trustees hold the money on trust for the person who benefits from the trust, known as the Beneficiary. If money is needed from the trust, all trustees must agree to its release.

Speak to our specialist

Our team are here to ensure people receive the care, respect, and advocacy they deserve.

Lucy Nicol

National Head of Court of Protection

Find out more

Meet Our Experts

Lucy Nicol

National Head of Court of Protection

Find out more

Frequently Asked Questions

How do personal injury trusts work?

Money held in a personal injury trust can be accessed by ‘trustees’ – usually a spouse, partner, or a parent, but may be solicitors, especially if the compensation is for a child.

They hold the money ‘on trust’ for the injured person or ‘beneficiary’. All trustees must agree to release the money when it’s needed. You and your partner can have £6,000 (between you) outside of the personal injury trust before your benefits will be affected. You can top up your own account with money from your trust.

What help can I get with managing a personal injury trust?

Our specialist solicitors can advise you on:

Who to appoint as trustees
The preparation of trust documents
Accounts and tax returns for your trust
Appointing new trustees or removing existing trustees
Whether a Personal Injury Trust is the right option for you
How to run your trust in future to protect your entitlement to benefits
What benefits you’re entitled to, or may become entitled to in the future
What information to provide to your bank or building society to set up the trust bank account
What documentation to provide to the Benefits Agency and Local Authority to ensure your benefit entitlement is protected

Our commitment to you

Our experts always start by listening, so we understand what matters most from day one.

01
Clear legal guidance
You will always get straightforward, honest advice, with regular updates to keep you clear on the way forward.
02
Specialist knowledge
A wide-ranging team of trusted specialists who understand what it takes to protect your future, your family or your business.
03
Your needs first
Whether you’re navigating complex personal situations or business decisions, we take the time to understand your world and what’s at stake.