Infected blood interim compensation payment announcement update
Published on 18 April 2024
The UK Government is working towards introducing new law to establish the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme. This will not have any immediate impact on your support payments. On the 17th April the UK Government tabled an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill that places a duty on the UK Government to establish a UK-wide Infected Blood Compensation Scheme and establishes a new arms-length body, named the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, to deliver it when the Bill becomes law. This is a significant step towards delivering compensation for victims of infected blood, with the intention of speeding up the implementation of the Government's response to the Infected Blood Inquiry. Within that amendment, there are powers for the UK Government to transfer the Infected Blood Support Schemes across the UK into the Infected Blood Compensation Authority if they should so wish at a later date. This provides options to make best use of the vital knowledge, experience and expertise the existing support schemes have gained over the years in order to benefit beneficiaries. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, transfers can only be made with the consent of the relevant devolved authority. Please be assured details on future compensation and any changes to how your financial support is paid, will be clearly communicated to you in advance. We do not have further information at this time.
Published on November 2022
On 29 July 2022, Sir Brian Langstaff adopted an interim Infected Blood Inquiry report. This followed consideration of recommendations made by Sir Robert Francis KC on a potential compensation framework for infected blood victims.
In the report, he recommended that an interim payment of £100,000 should be paid to all existing members of UK infected blood support schemes, including the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), as well as to any new members who join the scheme until such time as any final compensation scheme is put in place after the Infected Blood Inquiry reports in 2023.
As a result, on behalf of the UK Government, payments were made to all SIBSS beneficiaries at the end of October.
Further details on eligibility for the interim payment are set out in the UK Government scheme document available online at:
Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Scheme - GOV.UK