Loss of support

Loss of support is the value of the financial help a family would have kept receiving from someone who was killed in an accident.

The court starts from the deceased’s income, deducts what they would have spent on themselves, and applies a multiplier to reach a figure for the family’s ongoing loss. Money already paid out under insurance, provident fund or a pension is not deducted from this figure, so those benefits are kept separate.

Loss of support is the main financial head within a dependency claim, distinct from the fixed bereavement award and from funeral costs, which are claimed alongside it.

How dependants’ support is valued explains the method in more detail. An independent lawyer can work out and claim this loss for a family.