VICTIMS of the infected blood scandal will receive their first compensation payments before the end of this year, the UK Government has announced.
Cabinet Office minister John Glen said: “Time is of the essence.”
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, the minister announced the creation of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority which will oversee a compensation scheme.
It will cover all those “directly or indirectly infected” by NHS blood, blood products or tissue contaminated with HIV or hepatitis C or who have developed a chronic infection from blood contaminated with hepatitis B, Glen said.
He also announced that the families of people, friends and “loved ones” of those infected would be eligible to claim for compensation.
Glen told MPs: “Yesterday the Prime Minister spoke about the anguish that the infected blood scandal brought to those impacted by it. I want to reiterate his words and apologise again today, I am sorry.”
He added: “Those who have been infected or affected as a result of this scandal will receive compensation.
“To be crystal clear, if you have been directly or indirectly infected by NHS blood, blood products or tissue contaminated with HIV or hepatitis C, or have developed a chronic infection from blood contaminated with hepatitis B, you will be eligible to claim compensation under the scheme.
“And where an infected person has died, but would have been eligible under these criteria, compensation will be paid to their estate.
“And this will include where a person was infected with hepatitis B and died during the acute period of infection.”
The minister paid tribute to campaigners who had pushed the Government to act, hailing their “bravery through immense suffering”, saying he wanted to “honour their fortitude through their unimaginable pain”.
On the detail of the scheme, Glen said anyone already registered with an existing infected blood support schemes will automatically be considered eligible for compensation.
Payments will be exempt from income, capital gains and inheritance tax and they will be exempt from consideration for those receiving means-tested benefits.
There will be five categories for the award of compensation, Glen said and there will be the possibility of multiple awards being made in certain circumstances.
They are:
- An injury impact award acknowledging the physical and mental injury caused by the infection
- A social impact award to address the stigma or social isolation as a result of the infection
- An autonomy award, acknowledging how family and private life was disrupted during this time
- A care award to compensate for past and future care needs of anyone infected
- A financial loss award for past and future financial losses suffered as a result of the infection
The care award and the financial loss award will be given to the person with the infection or their estate if they have died in the interests of “simplicity and speed”, Glen said.
He added: “Now, sadly, many people have links to multiple individuals who are infected, or are both infected themselves and affected by another’s infection, so multiple injury awards will be offered to reflect the scale of the loss and suffering.”
Existing support schemes will continue to make payments at the current levels until the end of March next year and they will not be deducted from any of these compensation awards until April 1 when they will count towards a final compensation award.
Glen added: “We will ensure that no-one receives less in compensation than they would have received in support payments.”
And there will be interim payments worth £210,000 to living infected beneficiaries, those registered with existing infected blood support schemes, as well as those who register with the support scheme before the final scheme becomes operational, and the estates of those who pass away between now and payments being made.
The minister said: “I know that time is of the essence, which is why I’m also pleased to say that they will be delivered within 90 days, starting in the summer, so that they can reach those who need it so urgently most.”
