Blood scandal payments 'by end of year' with further £210k to come

The first full compensation payments to victims of the infected blood scandal will be made before the end of the year, ministers have confirmed. Cabinet Office Minister John Glen said he recognised that "time is of the essence" as he announced that many will also benefit from further interim compensation payments of £210,000 within 90 days.

He later 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.

Some 3,000 people have since died. Flanked in the House by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Mr Glen did not confirm the cost of the compensation package for those infected and affected by the tragedy, though it is reported to be upwards of £10 billion. He said that friends and family members of those infected would also be eligible to apply under the scheme.

Mr Glen said the inquiry recommended the scheme should be flexible in its awards of compensation, providing both for a lump sum or regular payments, adding: "We agree and that is why the awards to living infected or affected persons will be offered as a lump sum or periodical payments. Where the infected person has died, estate representatives will receive compensation as a single lump sum to then distribute to beneficiaries of the estate as is appropriate.

On interim payments, he added: "Today I'm announcing the Government will be making further interim payments ahead of the establishment of the full scheme. Payments of £210,000 will be made 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.

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