New Laws to Allow Compensation for Infected Blood Scandal Victims’ Relatives
Legislation has been introduced to Parliament which will enable up to 140,000 bereaved parents, children, and siblings of victims affected by the infected blood scandal to claim compensation. This comes after approximately 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis from tainted blood products in the 1970s and 80s. The new laws now provide the opportunity for relatives to seek full compensation for the impact the scandal has had on their lives.
In a scathing report released in May 2024, it was uncovered that authorities had kept the scandal under wraps and exposed victims to unnecessary risks. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a staggering £11.8 billion allocation for compensation, marking it as the largest payout in NHS history. The compensation scheme is being rolled out in phases, with the latest legislation expanding payments to include parents, partners, children, siblings, and certain carers of those infected.
According to draft documents released last year, parents who lost a child to hepatitis C could receive around £85,000, while siblings may expect approximately £30,000 in compensation. The number of individuals eligible for compensation remains uncertain, ranging from 24,000 to 140,000 potentially affected individuals due to the vast timeframe since the scandal first broke out. The introduction of these new laws seeks to bring justice to those who have suffered tremendously as a result of the infected blood scandal.
Cabinet office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has underlined the government’s commitment to providing justice for the scandal’s victims and their families. Additional payments may be available to infected individuals who can provide supplementary evidence, such as £10,000 for those who were subjected to unethical research. Moreover, haemophilia patients who contracted HIV or hepatitis C during their time at Treloar’s school in Hampshire will receive £15,000 in compensation. The draft laws are set to undergo parliamentary deliberation and approval by the end of March, ensuring that those affected by the infected blood scandal can receive the compensation they deserve
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