A MULTI-BILLION compensation package for victims of the infected blood scandal was finally announced by ministers today. Interim payments of £220,000 will be made in the next 90 days for people who will not survive to receive the full amount. Tens of thousands of infected and affected people are in line for government cash under a long-awaited pay-out scheme.
The biggest health disaster in British history saw more than 30,000 patients given HIV and hepatitis via contaminated blood between the 1970s and 1990s. More than 3,000 have since died but their families are eligible for compensation money. Cabinet Office Minister John Glen said today the "expectation is that final payments will start before the end of the year" although money will be fast-tracked for those where "time is of the essence".
Compensation will be based on five separate categories including financial and social impact. Rishi Sunak is believed to have earmarked around £10billion but yesterday vowed: "Whatever it costs to deliver this scheme, we will pay." FIVE types of compensation will be paid out to the infected and affected: Mr Glen today said that an arms-length body had been set up to process compensation claims.
He told MPs: "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 s.