Infected blood report to set out impact of compensation delays
A report into the timeliness of compensation for those infected and affected is due to be published on Wednesday, following additional hearings of the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Brendan West was given infected blood in the 1970s (Andrew Matthews/PA)
On Sunday the Cabinet Office announced that it was 'unlocking administrative barriers' to help the compensation body 'speed up payments to victims'.
Speaking ahead of the publication of the new Inquiry report, Kate Burt, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, said: 'Delays and uncertainty about compensation continue to have a devastating mental and physical impact on the infected blood community.
'We hope the Infected Blood Inquiry's report on the government's handling of compensation will help to resolve remaining concerns about the scheme as well as maintain pressure to deliver fair payments as quickly as possible.'
Brendan West, who was given infected blood in the 1970s, told the PA news agency that many members of the infected blood community felt 'frustrated' while waiting to be called forward for compensation.
The former soldier lost his leg in 1979 and was given blood transfusions while at a British military hospital in Germany where his leg was amputated. Four decades later, he discovered that the blood he was given was infected with Hepatitis C.
The 64-year-old from Farnborough, Hampshire, now suffers from liver cirrhosis which causes exhaustion.
He said he hoped the Government will take 'fair and informed action' after the report is published.
'I'm fortunate enough to now in the process of going through compensation,' he said.
'I have no idea when I will be made an offer but at the moment I think I am being treated fairly.'
He added: 'As you're aware people were very frustrated with waiting but it seems to me that the IBCA have bought on a load more staff and they have been inviting people to apply for compensation in greater numbers.
'There is still a frustration from a lot of the community that they're having to wait, particularly those that are affected rather than infected.
'I hope the Government will look at the report recommendations and take fair and informed action on them.
'I think there will be huge backlash if those recommendations are either ignored or discarded.'
We've published our latest compensation figures today – these are accurate as of 1 July 2025.
We will continue to publish updated figures every two weeks.
Click the link to see the latest figures: https://t.co/CISQSHwRQ0 pic.twitter.com/KRWbpXunBg
— Infected Blood Compensation Authority (@IBCA_UK) July 3, 2025
More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s.
More than 3,000 people have died as a result, and survivors are living with life-long health implications.
The Infected Blood Inquiry published its main report on the scandal in May last year, and a compensation scheme was announced a day later.
But in the same week a general election was called and officials from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) have described how in the early days of the organisation it consisted of two men, a laptop and a phone.
Some £11.8 billion has been allocated to compensate victims, administered by the IBCA.
As of July 1, some 2,043 people have been asked to make a claim, and 460 people have had their compensation paid totalling more than £326 million, according to IBCA figures.
On Sunday, the Cabinet Office said that it will 'reduce the administration and process delays' victims are facing, meaning the IBCA will 'be able to deliver services quickly, and require different supporting information from claimants'.
Des Collins, senior partner at Collins Solicitors and adviser to 1,500 victims of the scandal, said: 'In our view there has already been some recent progress in the number of infected people being invited to apply for compensation.
'However it remains the case that those affected – by virtue of the fact they lost husbands, fathers, sons and family members to infected blood/blood products – are still in the dark about the route to compensation for them.
'There has been absolutely no guidance on timeframes for when they will be invited to apply – these members of the community deserve better.
'Whilst the path to compensation for the infected blood community has been far from smooth, improvements can still be made.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Five-year-old schoolboy died after ‘accidental exposure to cow's milk protein'
Benedict Blythe, who was a reception pupil at Barnack Primary School in Stamford, Lincolnshire, died in hospital from food-induced anaphylaxis on December 1 2021 after he vomited twice before going into cardiac arrest. Jurors heard that the boy, who joined high-IQ society Mensa aged four, was asthmatic and allergic to milk, eggs and some nuts. Benedict died after an allergic reaction at school (Family handout/PA) On Wednesday, the foreperson of the jury at Peterborough Town Hall said: 'We deem the probable source of the allergen that caused the fatal anaphylaxis is the ingestion of cow's milk protein, most probably from his own receptacle during break time.' Speaking after the conclusion of the inquest, Benedict's mother Helen Blythe said: 'Three and a half years ago, we lost our son. Benedict died in a place where he should have been safe – his school. 'Benedict's death was preventable and was caused by a cascade of failures -individual, institutional, and systemic.' Factors which the jury found 'probably caused' Benedict's death include the delayed administration of his adrenaline, opportunities for cross-contamination or mix up of milk, and that his allergy plan was not shared with teaching staff. Jurors recorded the conclusion as 'accidental exposure to an allergen, cow's milk protein, causing fatal anaphylaxis'. The jury also found Benedict's recent illness, exercise, his uncontrolled asthma, and a 'missed opportunity' to review 'lessons learned' after he had an allergic reaction to pizza at school in the October before his death were other factors. Benedict was kept home from school the day before he died because he had been unwell and vomited, but woke up 'in good health' the next morning before school. The eight-day inquest heard that he ate a McVitie's gingerbread biscuit during break time that morning, which he had eaten on previous occasions, and refused to drink a bottle of oat milk poured by his teacher. The jury was told that a sample of the biscuit was independently tested for cow's milk proteins, but traces were not detectable. He also ate dairy-free chocolate before he went to school, which his parents had put into an advent calendar, and his usual breakfast cereal with oat milk. Benedict was described as 'extremely bright' (Family handout/PA) Area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Elizabeth Gray told the jury they 'may not record' that the allergic reaction was a response to the biscuit, the chocolate, or his breakfast, based on the evidence heard. Dr Shuaib Nasser, a consultant in asthma and allergy, concluded that a 'small amount' of cow's milk most likely caused the fatal anaphylactic reaction because Benedict had a 'life-threatening' milk allergy – while his egg allergy was 'mild', the jury was told. The inquest heard Benedict's adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) was administered twice by a teaching assistant, before CPR and a defibrillator were attempted but he died later that day at Peterborough City Hospital. The jury was told that Benedict's oat milk, given to the school by his parents, was kept in a separate fridge in the staff room along with a carton of lactose-free milk for another child in his class. The class teacher, Jenny Brass, told the inquest she would not have confused Benedict's oat milk with the lactose-free milk, which he could not drink because it contained dairy allergens. The inquest heard it is possible Benedict took a sip of the drink when his back was turned away from the teacher. The jury concluded that the school's usual procedure of giving Benedict his milk was not followed on the day of his death because the milk was poured into his cup in the staff room rather than in the classroom and given 'directly' to him. Benedict with his sister Etta (Family handout/PA) Benedict's mother said the school was given a management plan for his allergic reactions, and said vomiting was 'always' the first symptom. The jury heard that Benedict loved school, was 'extremely bright' and was 'thriving' in the three months he spent there before his death. The Benedict Blythe Foundation was set up in the schoolboy's memory and, along with The Allergy Team and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), launched the schools allergy code last year to set out how schools can keep pupils safe. Speaking outside Peterborough Town Hall after the conclusion of the inquest, Mrs Blythe said: 'There were critical failings from the very beginning. 'The investigation at the time was inadequate as the evidence needed to establish how and why he died was never obtained. Because of that, precious time was lost — and with it, opportunities to understand what happened to our son. 'No more children should die at school because of an allergy. 'We demand change. We call on this government to protect our children with Benedict's Law, making it mandatory to have an allergy policy in every school, staff allergy training including understanding allergies, how to manage them and identify signs of a reaction, and respond quickly in an emergency, and spare adrenaline allergy pens in every school. 'Proper oversight. Real accountability. Immediate action. We owe that to every child.'
ITV News
3 hours ago
- ITV News
Government approach 'disgusting' as infected blood victims 'harmed further' by compensation delay
The family of two brothers from Strabane who died as a result of the infected blood scandal, says it is losing hope of ever receiving justice. Tony and Damian Conwell were haemophiliacs who both contracted HIV from contaminated blood products which were used to treat their bleeds. Their relatives were speaking out following the publication of a damming report critising the government for the slow pace of compensation. The government has insisted that it is not dragging its heels, saying that are "listening to victims". Tony and Damian's sisters Catherine Logue and Carmel Conwell said: "The government's just dragging it out, dragging it out, and it's unfair and it's disgusting. "We'll not get our brothers back. You know what I mean, they're buried not far from here, back to back, so no amount of money can ever bring them back." The new report said the compensation scheme for the infected blood scandal has 'perpetuated' the harm of victims with key decisions about the scheme made 'behind closed doors'. The Infected Blood Inquiry warned that there has been a 'repetition of the mistakes of the past' and that people have been 'harmed yet further' since the scheme was established. Sir Brian Langstaff, chairman of the probe, said that the number of people who have been compensated to date is 'profoundly unsatisfactory' as he called for 'faster and fairer' compensation for victims. The latest report of the inquiry concludes: There was a 'missed opportunity' to consult with people impacted by the scandal. There has been a 'repetition of mistakes in the past' in the way both the Conservative and Labour governments have responded. Trust in the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has been 'lost' by many members of the infected blood community. People impacted by the scandal have expressed a 'grave concern' over the delay in compensation and a 'lack' of clear timescales as to when it will be delivered. The report raises concerns about how the regulations underpinning the compensation authority have created a 'liability window' which mean people infected with HIV with contaminated blood or blood products before 1982 will not be compensated which is 'illogical and profoundly unjust'. The impacts of a hepatitis infection are not being 'fully recognised' in the compensation scheme, including the impact of early treatment for the virus which has been linked to severe side effects. Campaign group Tainted Blood has estimated that at least 100 people have died while waiting for compensation since the main report was published last year. Writing in the 210-page report, Sir Brian said: 'Trust has not yet been regained but instead has been further damaged and that people have been harmed yet further by the way in which they have been treated.' He said that he felt the need to hold special hearings of the inquiry earlier this year due to 'increasingly desperate' concerns raised to him about the compensation scheme, including some saying that decisions were being made 'behind closed doors'. Sir Brian added: 'Trust in government has only a tenuous hold; it was weakened further by the failures recounted here, to give people the dignity and the respect they deserve.' He went on in a statement: 'For decades people who suffered because of infected blood have not been listened to. 'Once again decisions have been made behind closed doors leading to obvious injustices. 'The UK Government has known for years that compensation for thousands of people was inevitable and had identified many of those who should have it – but only 460 have received compensation so far and many, many more have not even been allowed to begin the process. 'It is not too late to get this right. We are calling for compensation to be faster, and more than that, fairer. More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s. And more than 3,000 people have died as a result, and survivors are living with life-long health implications. The latest report into the scandal states that 'the impacts of infection with hepatitis are not being fully recognised (or applied) in the scheme as it stands'. It states: 'Anyone who has read the Inquiry Report of May 2024 will recognise that there has been a repetition of the mistakes of the past in the way in which government (both before and after the general election) has responded. 'The harm which all this has caused is evident in everything that has been said by people infected and affected.' It adds: 'Although efforts have rightly been made by IBCA to meet and communicate with people infected and affected, what is fundamentally lacking is a formal, significant and influential role for people infected or affected within IBCA. 'Such a lack of involvement both exacerbates mistrust in IBCA and perpetuates the harm which people have suffered over decades.' The Infected Blood Inquiry published its main report on the scandal in May last year, and a compensation scheme was announced a day later. But in the same week a general election was called and officials from the IBCA have described how in the early days of the organisation it consisted of two men, a laptop and a phone. Some £11.8 billion has been allocated to compensate victims, administered by the IBCA. As of July 1, some 2,043 people have been asked to make a claim, and 460 people have had their compensation paid totalling more than £326 million, according to IBCA figures. On Sunday, the Cabinet Office said that it will 'reduce the administration and process delays' victims are facing, meaning the IBCA will 'be able to deliver services quickly, and require different supporting information from claimants'. A Government spokesperson said: 'This additional report reflects the unprecedented nature of the Infected Blood Scandal and the thoroughness of the Inquiry's investigation. 'We are grateful to the Inquiry for its ongoing work. We will now consider all of its recommendations.
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Five-year-old schoolboy died after ‘accidental exposure to cow's milk protein'
Jurors heard that the boy, who joined high-IQ society Mensa aged four, was asthmatic and allergic to milk, eggs and some nuts. Benedict died after an allergic reaction at school (Family handout/PA) On Wednesday, the foreperson of the jury at Peterborough Town Hall said: 'We deem the probable source of the allergen that caused the fatal anaphylaxis is the ingestion of cow's milk protein, most probably from his own receptacle during break time.' Speaking after the conclusion of the inquest, Benedict's mother Helen Blythe said: 'Three and a half years ago, we lost our son. Benedict died in a place where he should have been safe – his school. 'Benedict's death was preventable and was caused by a cascade of failures -individual, institutional, and systemic.' Factors which the jury found 'probably caused' Benedict's death include the delayed administration of his adrenaline, opportunities for cross-contamination or mix up of milk, and that his allergy plan was not shared with teaching staff. Jurors recorded the conclusion as 'accidental exposure to an allergen, cow's milk protein, causing fatal anaphylaxis'. The jury also found Benedict's recent illness, exercise, his uncontrolled asthma, and a 'missed opportunity' to review 'lessons learned' after he had an allergic reaction to pizza at school in the October before his death were other factors. Benedict was kept home from school the day before he died because he had been unwell and vomited, but woke up 'in good health' the next morning before school. The eight-day inquest heard that he ate a McVitie's gingerbread biscuit during break time that morning, which he had eaten on previous occasions, and refused to drink a bottle of oat milk poured by his teacher. The jury was told that a sample of the biscuit was independently tested for cow's milk proteins, but traces were not detectable. He also ate dairy-free chocolate before he went to school, which his parents had put into an advent calendar, and his usual breakfast cereal with oat milk. Benedict was described as 'extremely bright' (Family handout/PA) Area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Elizabeth Gray told the jury they 'may not record' that the allergic reaction was a response to the biscuit, the chocolate, or his breakfast, based on the evidence heard. Dr Shuaib Nasser, a consultant in asthma and allergy, concluded that a 'small amount' of cow's milk most likely caused the fatal anaphylactic reaction because Benedict had a 'life-threatening' milk allergy – while his egg allergy was 'mild', the jury was told. The inquest heard Benedict's adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) was administered twice by a teaching assistant, before CPR and a defibrillator were attempted but he died later that day at Peterborough City Hospital. The jury was told that Benedict's oat milk, given to the school by his parents, was kept in a separate fridge in the staff room along with a carton of lactose-free milk for another child in his class. The class teacher, Jenny Brass, told the inquest she would not have confused Benedict's oat milk with the lactose-free milk, which he could not drink because it contained dairy allergens. The inquest heard it is possible Benedict took a sip of the drink when his back was turned away from the teacher. The jury concluded that the school's usual procedure of giving Benedict his milk was not followed on the day of his death because the milk was poured into his cup in the staff room rather than in the classroom and given 'directly' to him. Benedict with his sister Etta (Family handout/PA) Benedict's mother said the school was given a management plan for his allergic reactions, and said vomiting was 'always' the first symptom. The jury heard that Benedict loved school, was 'extremely bright' and was 'thriving' in the three months he spent there before his death. The Benedict Blythe Foundation was set up in the schoolboy's memory and, along with The Allergy Team and the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA), launched the schools allergy code last year to set out how schools can keep pupils safe. Speaking outside Peterborough Town Hall after the conclusion of the inquest, Mrs Blythe said: 'There were critical failings from the very beginning. 'The investigation at the time was inadequate as the evidence needed to establish how and why he died was never obtained. Because of that, precious time was lost — and with it, opportunities to understand what happened to our son. 'No more children should die at school because of an allergy. 'We demand change. We call on this government to protect our children with Benedict's Law, making it mandatory to have an allergy policy in every school, staff allergy training including understanding allergies, how to manage them and identify signs of a reaction, and respond quickly in an emergency, and spare adrenaline allergy pens in every school. 'Proper oversight. Real accountability. Immediate action. We owe that to every child.'
