Wales introduces child support payments

Written by Jessica Bomford, December 6, 2022

Children of people infected as a result of treatment with contaminated blood and blood products in Wales are to receive a support payment.

The Welsh government has announced that from January 2023 an annual payment will be made to young people up to the age of 18, or 21 if in full time education, who are either the biological children of someone registered with the Wales Infected Blood Support Scheme (WIBSS) or live in the same household.

In recognition of the ‘significant impact’ the contaminated blood scandal has had on their lives, a payment of £3,000 a year for the first child and £1,200 for the second and subsequent children has been agreed.

This is the first scheme of its kind in the UK. Although the England Infected Blood Support Scheme has a child supplement payment, this is means-tested. There is no dedicated child support payment available through the schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland at present.

The payment will continue until the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry are known and have been considered by all four UK health departments, the Welsh government said.

WIBSS will write to all beneficiaries with details of the eligibility criteria and application process, which will open in January 2023.

You can read the announcement from the Welsh government here.