Nearly £2 million was claimed under the Riot Compensation Act (RCA) in response to widespread unrest across the UK last summer, the BBC has discovered.

According to figures from the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), shared exclusively with the BBC, 88 separate complaints were recorded.

The riots erupted after three young girls were killed in a stabbing attack at a children’s dance event in Southport, and false reports followed that the suspect was an asylum seeker.

The APCC said the figures were subject to change and did not represent the total of what could be paid. THE Home Office said most of the money should come from police commissioners’ or mayors’ local budgets.

In the days following the Southport knife attack on July 29, hundreds of people were involved in acts of violence targeting property unrelated to the event.

In towns and villages across England, buildings have been vandalized, including mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers.

Shops were looted, cars damaged and a library burned.

Under the RCA, people can claim their personal or business property if they do not have adequate insurance coverage for damage, destruction or theft resulting from a riot.

This can also be claimed by a representative, and insurers can seek reimbursement after paying part or all of a claim by someone affected by the riots.

In most cases, any money awarded comes from the claims authority, which is usually the police and crime commissioner in the area where the riot took place or the local mayor’s office.

Since people can only make a claim under the RCA if the damage is not covered by insurance, the actual total financial cost of the riots is likely to be much higher.

The APCC is aware of 88 claims under the RCA, worth around £1.9 million, but it does not wish to publicly identify which areas they originate from.

The BBC sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, which revealed requests to complaints authorities in Cleveland, Staffordshire, Humberside, Durham, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire and Merseyside.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the claims were successful.

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner received 30 claims, totaling £799,446.79 – the highest amount of any claim authority for which the BBC has information.

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Having spent time in some of the areas affected by shameful scenes of violence and disorder, it was very clear to see the scale of the damage caused to properties and vehicles.

“It is vital that everyone affected by these appalling incidents can access the financial support to which they are entitled. This is why I encouraged people who were uninsured or who had been denied compensation by their insurance company to submit a claim through my website under Riot Compensation. Scheme.

“This program is in place to ensure that everyone affected by the riots receives the support they need, and we are currently reviewing the offers submitted. »

Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner received two claims totaling £270,000.

The commissioner’s office confirmed “this follows violent disorder in Tamworth on August 4” and the claims were currently being assessed.

A crowd attacked the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Tamworthwhich housed asylum seekers. Windows were broken and a fire broke out as police tried to hold back the crowds.

Stuart Ellison, assistant chief constable of Staffordshire Police, described the rioters as “barking for blood” and said many of his young officers “feared they would not return home that evening” after being doused with gasoline and bombarded with fireworks and Molotov cocktails.

More than 100 asylum seekers were kept safe inside the hotel as the “terrifying” scenes unfolded, Ellison said.

Claims authorities have not confirmed the exact events to which individual Riot Compensation Act claims relate.

IHG, which owns the Holiday Inn brand, declined to comment when contacted about riot compensation, but previously said its priority was “the safety and security of our guests and colleagues.”

The Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office said: “The Home Office has indicated that these costs will need to be met locally, putting additional pressure on the overall police and crime budget. »

A government spokesperson said: “The senseless looting and vandalism of businesses we saw this summer was appalling, those responsible are still being brought to justice and the costs of this damage are, in many cases, still unfolding devaluation.

“Ministers from across government have met with affected communities and businesses, and we will continue to work closely on how best to support them.

They added that police and crime commissioners could apply for grants if they could not cover victim compensation within their existing budgets.

Additional reporting by Jonathan Fagg and Miguel Roca-Terry