If a home moving injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Injuries sustained during a house move are common and often include back strains, cuts, or falls from lifting heavy items or during the transport of belongings.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a home moving injury, we can help. Whether your injuries were caused by a slip or trip, fall or other incident, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim for an accident in a public place with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
With 17% of work accidents relating to lifting and manual handling, you are not alone
Moving home can be more hazardous than many people realise.
The HSE report that 17% of work accidents are caused by manual handling accidents, including lifting and carrying (hse.gov.uk).
In the weeks before the actual move date, boxes are packed and stacked, furniture is shuffled around, lofts are cleared, ladders used, shelves are cleared, appliances disconnected and so on.
In fact, the lead up to moving is fraught with statistically perilous activities that result in thousands of people getting injured every year.
Sometimes the causes of accidents are less predictable such as children or pets climbing on stacked boxes leading to injury.
How much compensation can I claim for a home moving injury?
Your compensation for an injury during a home move is influenced by:
- the seriousness of your injury,
- the restriction caused by your injury on your daily life and employment,
- any expenses or financial setbacks caused by your injury.
Home moving injury
compensation calculator
Find out how much compensation you could claim in just a few minutes.
Check your legal eligibility and see if you qualify for a No Win, No Fee claim.
Updated January 2025
Compensation Calculator v3.1
General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
Special damages are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include loss of earnings, including potential lost commission, bonuses or promotions, or any other out of pocket expenses.
Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your home moving injury, including pain medication and physical therapy.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average home moving injury general damages compensation table
The following home moving injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Ankle injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Minor fractures, sprains, and ligament injuries with full recovery | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | A fracture or ligament injury with mild ongoing symptoms | £15,250 to £29,500 |
| Severe | Lengthy treatment required, and your ability to walk has been permanently affected | £34,740 to £55,540 |
Elbow injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery within 18 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £3,920 |
| Recovery between 18 to 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £7,210 |
| Recovery after 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms or damage | Up to £13,970 |
Finger injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Relatively minor injury | Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring | Up to £5,270 |
| Index finger fracture | Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis | £10,110 to £13,570 |
| Finger fractures | Fractures that cause deformity, affect sensation, and/or have a long term affect on your grip and ability to use your hand | Up to £40,760 |
Hand injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) injuries to one or both hands | A fracture or break recovering within 6 months, and/or with scarring, tenderness and pain in cold weather | Up to £5,270 |
| Moderate injuries to one or both hands | Moderate crush injuries, penetrating wounds, or deep cuts | £6,280 to £14,730 |
| Moderate/serious injuries to one or both hands | Serious crush injury that causes impaired function andthat cannot be resolved with surgery | £16,040 to £32,170 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery | £29,050 to £48,210 |
Leg injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Simple femur fracture | Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces | £10,110 to £15,620 |
| More serious fractures | Incomplete fracture recovery with ongoing symptoms | £19,930 to £30,800 |
Wrist injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months | £3,920 to £5,260 |
| Moderate | Uncomplicated Colles' fracture | Around £8,250 |
| Moderate | Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery | £6,750 to £11,480 |
Am I eligible for home moving injury compensation?
You should be entitled to home moving injury compensation if your injury resulted from the negligence or actions of another person or organisation, or from an accident that was not your fault.
Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
What if I was partly to blame?
Liability for an accident often involves fault on both sides.
In our recent 2025 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents thought they could be partially to blame for their accident.
You may still be able to claim compensation even if your actions may have contributed to the accident. Claims where there is fault on both sides (contributory negligence) are often resolved with a split liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to start a home moving injury claim?
In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.
For an injured child, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, giving them until they are 21 to start a claim.
Minimising the risk
Minimising the risk of injury during and in the run up to the move is mostly common sense. Packing sensibly, removing trip hazards and lifting from the knees are all well known and well worth remembering on the day.
For a more detailed article on minimising the risks of injury when moving home see Completely Moved.
However, most of the injuries sustained when packing will be sustained in the person's home. It is unlikely that the person's injuries will result from the recklessness or negligence of a third party.
How did your home moving injury happen?
Making a successful home moving injury compensation claim begins with understanding where and how your injury happened, and whether the moving company, local authority or another party is ultimately liable. Please select from the following icons for more information:
Can I make a no win, no fee home moving injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim home moving injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
- Confidential consultation
- No obligation to claim
- No Win No Fee solicitors
Call 0800 376 1001
or arrange a callbackAuthor:
Jenny Jones, Senior litigator
About the author
With over 20 years' experience in the law, Jenny Jones has spent the last decade specialising in personal injury, with a particular focus on industrial disease cases.