Nearly eight and a half years after the devastating Manchester Arena bombing, a significant chapter in the long road to justice and healing has closed for some of its youngest survivors. On December 18, 2025, Judge Nigel Bird approved a landmark compensation payout of nearly £20 million to 16 children who suffered injuries—some catastrophic, others psychological—during the May 22, 2017 attack at an Ariana Grande concert. The attack, carried out by suicide bomber Salman Abedi, claimed 22 lives and left hundreds of others wounded, many of them young concertgoers and their families.
According to Sky News, the court hearing at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice formalized compensation amounts ranging from £2,770 to an extraordinary £11.4 million for each child survivor. All were under 16 years old at the time of the bombing, and several now live with life-changing physical injuries or ongoing trauma. For privacy and safety, the identities of the children and their families remain protected by a strict court order, a decision underscored by the sensitive nature of their experiences and ongoing recovery.
The payout, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, will come from the organizations deemed responsible for the event's safety and security: SMG Europe Holdings (now Legends Global Services Limited), which managed the venue; Showsec International Ltd, in charge of crowd control; and both British Transport Police and Greater Manchester Police, responsible for policing and security advisory roles. Each of these entities has publicly apologized to the bereaved families and survivors, explicitly acknowledging the failures of that fateful night.
"This is not a day of celebration. It is a moment to acknowledge the mistakes that were made and the unimaginable suffering our clients have endured over the past eight and a half years," said Simon Kilvington KC, representing most of the claimants, during the hearing. He added, "Their strength and resilience have been extraordinary, and without that, we would not have reached this settlement. We now expect all parties to honour their commitment to do what they can to prevent those same mistakes from happening again." The sentiment was echoed in a joint statement from the legal teams at Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon, and Broudie Jackson Canter, who called it a privilege to represent the courageous clients and wished them peace as they look to the future.
The court proceedings followed a lengthy and public inquiry led by Sir John Saunders between 2020 and 2023, which meticulously examined the events leading up to and following the attack. According to the Manchester Evening News, Sir John Saunders concluded, "I have determined that there were serious shortcomings in the security provided by those organisations which had responsibility for it and also failings and mistakes by some individuals." The inquiry revealed a series of missed opportunities—Abedi, dressed in black and carrying a large backpack, was reported as suspicious by a member of the public but was "fobbed off" by security staff. There was also a CCTV blind spot in the arena area, inadequate patrols by security, and a shocking revelation that British Transport Police officers took a two-hour lunch break to get a kebab before the attack, leaving the venue less protected at a critical time.
Judge Bird, opening the proceedings, made clear the gravity of what was being addressed: "Each of the cases has a common link, that is that the injuries and losses suffered arose out of a single and unthinkable act of terrorism on May 22, 2017, at the end of a concert attended by very many young children and their families. Twenty-two innocent lives were lost, and lives of countless others impacted by the events of that evening. In each of the cases before me there are five defendants. They were, to varying degrees, responsible for the safe and secure running of the venue on the evening in question."
The compensation amounts reflect the severity and diversity of the injuries. The largest single award, nearly £11.4 million, was granted to a teenager who suffered what the court described as "catastrophic injuries." Another award of more than £5.2 million was given to a survivor with "severe and life changing" injuries. The sums, Judge Bird emphasized, "should be regarded as the best the law can do in a difficult situation," noting poignantly, "The love and care a parent gives to an injured child is plainly beyond monetary value."
The ripple effects of the bombing extend far beyond these 16 cases. Following this settlement, an additional 352 claims—mostly from adults, including families of the deceased—are now set to be finalized confidentially. The specifics of these future claims, including the amounts and recipients, will remain private, as will the breakdown of how much each defendant organization pays.
Among the victims was 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod, a talented bagpiper from Barra whose memory inspired the creation of a memorial trust. The tragedy also led to wider legislative changes: Martyn's Law, named after 29-year-old victim Martyn Hett, has been introduced to strengthen security at public venues across the UK, aiming to prevent similar attacks. This law is a direct response to the "missed opportunities" and failings identified by Sir John Saunders and others during the inquiry.
In the aftermath, all four organizations involved have not only apologized but also pledged to learn from their mistakes. Their joint statement, issued after the settlement, acknowledged the scale of the tragedy: "On 22 May 2017, a devastating act of terrorism took place at Manchester Arena. Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb, killing 22 innocent people and leaving hundreds more with life-changing injuries. Many continue to live with the physical and emotional impact of that night." The statement continued, "Those contributing to the settlement included SMG Europe Holdings, Showsec International Ltd, British Transport Police and Greater Manchester Police. As part of this settlement, each of these organisations has apologised to the bereaved families and to the survivors. They have acknowledged the failures of that night. They have already made changes and pledged to do what they can to prevent those mistakes from happening again. This settlement is about recognition, accountability, and a shared commitment to doing better."
Judge Bird concluded the hearing by praising the claimants for their dignity and quiet determination. "Each has acted with dignity in the face of terrible adversity. Each through their quiet determination has brought about promises of change with the hope that in the future other families will not need to go through what they have been through. This hearing has not been entirely about what happened on that night. It has been also about the future and how the families may go forward to put these events behind them, armed with the courage they have shown to move forward, without, one hopes, the memory of what happened bearing down on them, as it has."
As the survivors and their families attempt to move forward, the settlement stands as both a recognition of their suffering and a call to action for institutions responsible for public safety. The hope is that the lessons learned—and the changes promised—will ensure future generations never have to endure such unimaginable loss again.
