People eligible are encouraged to apply to an Infected Blood Support Scheme before 31 March 2025, to start receiving regular support payments.
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has issued a nationwide call to encourage all those eligible to apply to one of the four existing Infected Blood Support Schemes, if they haven't registered already.
Applying to an Infected Blood Support Scheme as soon as possible means those eligible can start receiving regular support payments. If successful, they will also be automatically eligible for compensation under the infected blood compensation scheme.
The four UK-wide schemes are:
- English Infected Blood Support Scheme ( EIBSS )
- Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme ( SIBSS )
- Wales Infected Blood Support Scheme ( WIBSS )
- Infected Blood Payment Scheme Northern Ireland ( IBPS NI ).
Welcoming the move, Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds said:
This Government has made sure support scheme payments will continue for life after listening to the concerns of the infected blood community.
I urge those eligible to register with an Infected Blood Support Scheme as soon as possible to start receiving regular support payments.
This government is doing everything possible to deliver compensation quickly to people infected and affected by this scandal.
The call for registrations comes after the Chancellor announced £11.8 billion of funding in the Autumn budget which has been committed to compensating victims of infected blood.
IBCA has been working with the Infected Blood Support Schemes, UK government and the Devolved Administrations to ensure the future transition of support payments from the schemes to IBCA is as smooth as possible.
While the support schemes will close to new applications on 31 March 2025, the schemes are not closing on this date, and all support payments will continue.
People who are eligible to sign-up to a support scheme include:
- Those who have been historically infected with Hepatitis C and/or HIV from NHS blood or blood products;
- Spouses, civil or long-term co-habiting partners following the death of someone infected who was already a member of a current or former scheme.
IBCA CEO, David Foley said:
We know those impacted by the infected blood scandal have waited too long for compensation, and our aim is to provide payments as soon as possible.
People already registered with a support scheme will automatically be eligible for compensation, and support payments received before 31 March 2025 will not be taken into account when we calculate their final compensation packages.
Those who have successfully applied to a support scheme will continue to receive their regular support payments after 31 March 2025.
Anyone eligible for compensation but not registered with a support scheme will still be able to submit a claim to IBCA for compensation once applications open fully.
IBCA is currently building a compensation claims service with regular input from those in the infected blood community.
