Government opens applications for £100,000 interim payment to the estates of victims of Infected Blood Scandal
Estates of people who died as a result of the Infected Blood Scandal can now apply to receive an interim payment of £100,000, in advance of a comprehensive compensation scheme.
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme: UK Government Update - 24 October 2024
The estates of people who died as a result of the Infected Blood Scandal can now apply to receive an interim payment of £100,000 from today. This is the first time this group has ever received compensation.
Personal representatives of a deceased person’s estate, including partners, parents, siblings and children, are urged to apply by completing a form on gov.uk.
Applications will be processed by the Infected Blood Support Schemes, which will administer the payments.
This interim payment comes in advance of a comprehensive, government-funded compensation scheme for infected and affected victims of infected blood.
The compensation scheme is UK-wide and will be delivered by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), an independent arm’s length body led by Sir Robert Francis KC. The scheme was established in law in August and expects to make payments by the end of this year.
Today’s announcement marks the first time that this group of the infected blood community has ever received compensation.
It also fulfils the commitment placed on government by the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 and helps deliver on Recommendation 12 of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report, which recommended that “an interim payment of £100,000 should be paid to recognise the deaths of people who, to date, hadn’t been recognised.”
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, said:
“I hope that today is seen as another important milestone for victims and campaigners who have waited far too long for justice.
“We are committed to acting on the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry and these payments are an important step forward in providing substantial compensation to the families of victims of infected blood.
“No amount of compensation can fully address the suffering as a result of this scandal, but we are doing everything possible to deliver life-changing sums to people infected and affected.”