Interim Payments

In October 2022, the Government made interim compensation payments to infected individuals and bereaved partners who were registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes.

In October 2022, the Government made interim compensation payments to infected individuals and bereaved partners who were registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes. This followed recommendations made in the compensation framework study and the Inquiry’s first interim report.

The Government’s policy paper says that Interim Payments have been made for the following reasons.

“To alleviate the immediate suffering of infected beneficiaries and bereaved partner beneficiaries of UK IBSS, pending the UK Government's response to any further recommendations by the Infected Blood Inquiry in its final report.'”

If you believe you would be eligible for a payment but did not receive it, you should contact the relevant Infected Blood Support Scheme.

Infected Blood scheme compensation payments are exempt from income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax as confirmed by the statutory instrument.

For more information about the Interim Payments, please view the timeline below.

Timeline

June 2022: the Government published the Compensation Framework Study, with a Written Ministerial Statement.
July 2022: Sir Robert Francis gave evidence to the Inquiry over two days - you can watch his evidence, or read the transcripts for 11 July and 12 July.
July 2022: on 29 July 2022, the Inquiry published its first interim report. Sir Brian Langstaff gave a short statement announcing its publication - you can watch the statement or read the transcript. You can also read Sir Brian’s letter to the Paymaster General about publication, and the Paymaster General’s reply.
August 2022: on 17 August 2022, the UK government accepted the recommendations in the first interim report. You can read the Government’s press release.

October 2022: on 11 October 2022, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury made a Written Ministerial Statement regarding tax arrangements for the interim payments.

On 24 October, the UK government published a policy paper detailing more information on the Interim Compensation scheme, including eligibility.
November 2022: on 21 November 2022, the Inquiry published a witness statement from Jeremy Quin MP, the Paymaster General, about the Compensation Framework Study.
December 2022: on 15 December 2022, the Government accepted in a parliamentary statement by Jeremy Quin MP that there is a moral case for compensation to be paid.
February 2023: on 21 February 2023, the Government tabled a Statutory Instrument (that is, a change to the law), with the purpose of exempting the interim payments from income, capital gains and inheritance taxes.

Related Content