Lawyers acting for victims of the infected blood scandal have welcomed government plans to extend and increase compensation.
The Cabinet Office announced yesterday it would make higher awards available for certain people and provide more financial support for infected people with related health conditions.
A ‘social impact award’ will also increase for people who lived in the same household as the infected person for more than two years.
The Infected Blood Inquiry concluded in May that some 30,000 people had suffered injustice over decades on an unprecedented scale, with lived shattered and justice denied. Sir Robert Francis KC was asked to independently assess potential redress options and the government has accepted all but five of his 74 recommendations.
The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 provides the legal basis to establish the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, and the first set of regulations under the legislation will be made next week. This will give the authority the powers to pay compensation through the core route to the infected, both living and deceased, with payments due to begin by the end of the year.
The previous government made interim payments of £100,000 in October 2022, and £210,000 in June 2024 to people who are living with an infection registered with an Infected Blood Support Scheme.
The Cabinet Office said: ‘The government is acutely aware of how long victims of this dreadful scandal have been waiting for compensation. We are progressing our work on compensation as quickly as possible, while balancing the need to ensure the necessary processes are in place.
‘While no amount of compensation can make up for the suffering experienced by so many, we hope this update will bring reassurance and support to the community.’
Des Collins, senior partner of Collins Solicitors, which represents around 1,500 victims and families, welcomed the news that progress has not been checked by the change in government and that the extended compensation scheme will be up and running by October.
Collins added: ‘We now need to consider the details of the scheme with each of our clients to determine how they navigate the process and claim their entitlement. We are heartened to see a provision for victims to receive independent legal advice to help them in this respect.
‘Experience shows that government compensation schemes are notoriously complicated, often containing needlessly complex barriers to access, as those affected by the Windrush and Post Office scandals can attest.’
