Inquiry calls minister to new hearings on compensation

Written by Jessica Bomford, April 9, 2025

The Infected Blood Inquiry will reopen hearings in May to investigate the government’s approach to delivering compensation.

Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the inquiry, wants his intervention to be constructive, but said the need to have additional hearings reflected ‘the gravity of the concerns expressed consistently, and repeatedly, to the inquiry’.

The hearings will take place at Church House in London on 7 and 8 May 2025. Full details, including how to register to attend the hearings, are here.

Those giving evidence include Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, the Paymaster General who has responsibility for delivering the inquiry’s recommendations, as well as representatives from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, Sir Robert Francis and David Foley, acting Chair and Chief Executive, respectively.

Campaign groups will also give evidence, including Kate Burt, Chief Executive of the Haemophilia Society.

Kate said: ‘This powerful and unique intervention reflects the contaminated blood community’s widespread anger, confusion and despair that the government is failing to deliver on its promises.

‘The government’s Infected Blood Compensation Scheme lacks trust and credibility because it has been devised behind closed doors without working with those at the heart of this scandal. People are starting to lose faith that they will ever receive a fair settlement.

‘We hope the Infected Blood Inquiry’s renewed scrutiny will persuade the government that it needs to listen and act on the concerns of the community.

‘Far too many people have died without receiving recognition of their loss and suffering. The government must take responsibility for this and act quickly to get the compensation process back on track.’

Last month, Sir Brian announced he had asked for evidence from 27 organisations, including the Haemophilia Society, about the government’s compensation response since his report was published on 20 May 2024. On the basis of that information he decided that more investigation was required, and has now concluded that further public hearings are needed.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was set up to administer the government’s compensation scheme. So far 255 claims are being processed from people who are infected and registered on a UK support scheme. About 40 have accepted their offer of compensation. There has been widespread concern that this is too slow and IBCA has promised to accelerate the number of claims processed from April onwards. There is also disappointment that IBCA does not appear to have the independence that Sir Brian intended, with key decisions being made by the Cabinet Office.

Last month secondary regulations were approved which gave IBCA the power to pay ‘affected’ claims, that is, claims from people who were not infected but were affected as close family members or carers. The new regulations extend the scheme also provide details of additional payments using a ‘supplementary route’.

In response to many phone calls and emails from our members, the Haemophilia Society is concerned that the current compensation does not fairly reflect people’s suffering. In particular, we believe that the impact of being treated with interferon for hepatitis C should be explicitly recognised and the government should reduce the burden of proof of qualifying for increased (compensation) payments for psychological harm.

We have no evidence that the experts who the government consulted in working out the compensation scheme and in defining the related medical conditions which qualify for extra payments have any experience of haemophilia and bleeding disorder care. In addition, we do not believe that anyone was consulted who is an expert on mental health. This is unacceptable and we urge the government to address this urgently.

We also have concerns that the partners of people registered on UK support schemes will not be entitled to continued support payments when their partners die, due to changes made to the support schemes from 1 April 2025.