Infected blood victims could each get £2m compensation in £10bn scheme

Infected blood victims could each receive payments of more than £2m in a compensation scheme announced by the government.

The payments follow the publication of a public inquiry report into the scandal, the biggest ever to hit the NHS, which said that authorities covered up what had happened and exposed victims to unacceptable risks.

The first payments are due to be made by the end of the year although some victims have started receiving extra interim payments of £210,000 during the summer.

These include the 4,000 victims who have already received payments of £100,000 but compensation will eventually be made to a much wider group of people, including to the family and loved ones of those who were infected. This could include their children, or parents, and will be the first time they will have received any financial payment.

The total cost of the compensation scheme could eventually reach about £10 billion.

The infected blood inquiry has been called the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

More than 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C from 1970 to 1991 by contaminated blood products and transfusions.

About 3,000 of them have since died, many of whom were haemophiliacs given infected blood products as part of their treatment.

The compensation due will be judged under five criteria which are: injury and harm caused; social impact from stigma and isolation; impact on autonomy and private life, such as not being able to have children, care costs and financial loss.

The government said payments would depend on individual circumstances, but typical payouts for those infected with HIV, or for HIV plus hepatitis, would be more than £2m.

Those with a hepatitis infection causing liver damage will receive around £1m while those who face extreme care costs, or who were very high earners before infection, could get even more.

The figures released also give examples of compensation awards for the family members of those infected. 

For example, the partner of someone infected with HIV who is still alive today should expect to receive around £110,000, while a child could get £55,000.  If their loved-one has died, and they were financially dependent on them, annual payments are available.

The scheme will be administered by a new body called the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, which will be led initially by Sir Robert Francis, who chaired the inquiry into the Stafford Hospital scandal. 

It is proposed that the compensation will be taken as a lump sum or series of payments.

From April 2025, the compensation scheme will replace the existing financial support scheme, versions of which have been in place since 1989. They have recently been worth more than £40,000 a year to some victims, such as those who have been infected or, if they have died while benefitting, their partners.

Following the announcement of the compensation, founder of the campaign group, Factor 8, Jason Evans, said he was concerned about the wait some face as the interim payments are available only to certain individuals. 

He said: “This announcement will be a gut-punch to most bereaved families, who have still received no compensation at all."