Eligibility Conditions for Infected Persons
Infected Blood Inquiry · Second Interim Report · Issued 5 April 2023 · Addressed to: UK Government
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
I recommend that the conditions of eligibility for admission of relevant infected persons to the scheme should be that: a) they have been diagnosed as being infected with one or more of HCV (including natural clearers who have suffered loss), HIV, or HBV (limited to chronic cases of HBV unless the infection has resulted in a fatality in the acute period); b) they received a transfusion of blood or components of blood, blood products or transfer of tissue capable of transmitting one or more of the relevant diseases; and c) their infection was not unlikely to have been caused by administration of the relevant treatment, regard being had as to the available evidence as to the measures in place at the time to reduce the possibility of infection, including but not limited to the date of relevant effective screening tests or effective viral inactivation treatments; or d)(i) it was not unlikely to have been caused by transmission to them by a person who fulfils conditions (a) to (c) above, or (ii) by transmission to them by a person who fulfils condition (d)(i), such as a child or children infected by their mother who had previously been infected by her partner, who in turn had been infected as in (a)-(c).
Infected Blood Inquiry, Second Interim Report · 5 Apr 2023 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The Government stated in December 2024 that eligibility criteria had been implemented in scheme regulations (Government Response to the Infected Blood Inquiry, Cabinet Office, December 2024).
Response — verbatim from government
●UK Government — initial response
In accordance with recommendations 1 and 2 of the Second Interim Report, the Government is clear that both those who have been infected and affected by this scandal are eligible for compensation and is compensating those who have been directly or indirectly infected through NHS blood, blood products or tissue. This includes anyone, living or deceased, who has been infected with HIV, Hepatitis C and chronic Hepatitis B, including those who were indirectly infected through their partners or loved ones. Those with acute Hepatitis B infections and have died from their infection during the acute period, are also eligible under the Scheme. Regarding the affected; partners, parents, children, siblings and carers will all be eligible for compensation (subject to certain criteria).
UK Government · 17 Dec 2024 Written response →
●UK Government — follow-up
The eligibility conditions have been incorporated into the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme regulations. The scheme accepts claims from those diagnosed with qualifying infections who received contaminated blood products or tissue, with provisions for secondary transmission cases.
UK Government · 14 May 2025 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 17 Dec 2024 Eligibility criteria implemented in scheme regulations. As of 7 April 2026, 3,273 offers of compensation totalling over £2.6bn had been made, with 3,161 offers accepted, in addition to £1.4bn already paid in interim payments; IBCA had contacted 3,942 people and 3,754 had started the claim process. On 14 April 2026 the Government published its response to the public consultation on proposed changes to the scheme (CP 1565), adjusting eligibility in several respects — including a wider Unethical Research cohort, Level 2B interferon recognition, and Affected Supplementary Route uplifts — and noting earlier changes in force since December 2025 which widened HIV and estate eligibility. Regulations to implement the further changes will be brought forward later in 2026. Sources: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-infected-blood-compensation-scheme-will-improve-support-for-victims; https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69ddf5fd7e2086c62da2f152/Government_response_to_consultation_on_proposed_changes_to_the_infected_blood_compensation_scheme__PDF_.pdf Source →
- 15 Jan 2026 · IBCA Community Update As of 13 January 2026: 3,721 people asked to start claims, 3,546 begun process, 3,074 received offers totalling £2.47bn, 2,861 paid totalling £1.89bn. Third compensation regulations in force 31 December 2025. View source → Good Progress
- 31 Dec 2025 · UK Parliament Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 established IBCA. Three sets of scheme regulations in force (Aug 2024, Mar 2025, Dec 2025). First payments December 2024. £1.89bn paid to 2,861 people by January 2026. View source → Good Progress
- 28 Oct 2025 · IBCA Independent Review IBCA has contacted 2,215 people to begin compensation claims; 1,934 started process. £812m+ paid via Horizon Shortfall Scheme. £11.8bn committed in Autumn Budget. View source → Reasonable Progress
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.