Supplementary Route for Affected Persons

In his oral evidence to the Inquiry, the Minister for the Cabinet Office agreed to look again at how the Scheme compensates affected people through a supplementary route. The Government has accepted the Inquiry's recommendation to consult on whether it is feasible to implement a supplementary route for additional compensation for affected people who suffered the severest harms. The Government will consult with parents, children, siblings, partners and carers, and their legal representatives if wished, on whether it is possible to implement a supplementary route for the affected based on severe psychological harm, as the Inquiry has suggested, without causing significant delay to the process of compensation as a whole.

Following the consultation, these Regulations introduce a 50% uplift to the core Injury award for some affected people. Eligible bereaved parents whose infected child died under the age of 18 will receive an uplifted Injury award to recognise the profound impact of this loss. Eligible bereaved partners will also receive an uplifted Injury award to recognise the deep emotional harm of losing a partner. Growing up in a home or family impacted by infected blood meant that people suffered increased mental and emotional harm. For this reason, children and siblings of infected people who were affected whilst they were under the age of 18 will also receive an uplifted Injury award, calculated based on the highest severity of infection the infected person experienced during childhood.