Registration opens for interim infected blood compensation for estates

The Government has announced that estates of people who have died as a result of the Infected Blood Scandal can now apply to receive an interim payment of £100,000.

Personal representatives of the estate are urged to apply by completing a form on the Government website. 

Applications will be processed by the UK Infected Blood Support Schemes, which will administer the payments.

Am I eligible for an interim payment?

You are only able to apply for an interim compensation payment if:

• You are the personal representative – or acting on behalf of the personal representative – of a deceased person who was registered with one of the UK’s infected blood support schemes or Alliance House Organisations, (The Macfarlane Trust, the Eileen Trust, the Skipton Fund, the Caxton Foundation and MFET Ltd) on or before 17 April 2024 and;

• The person who received infected blood or blood products, their bereaved partner or their estate, has not already received a previous interim payment.

Once the interim payment has been made, it has to be distributed by the person applying on behalf of the estate, in accordance with the deceased person’s will or, where someone has died without making a will, the laws of intestacy.

You will need to prove that you are the deceased person’s personal representative, or acting on their behalf. This can be a grant of probate, letters of administration or a grant of confirmation (in Scotland). The Government has provided guidance on how to apply for these documents.

My loved one was never registered with a support scheme, can I still apply for interim payments?

If your loved one was not registered with a previous or existing support scheme the estate is not eligible for an interim payment.

Although you cannot apply for an interim payment, you may still be eligible for compensation through the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, once it becomes operational.

How do I make a claim for interim compensation?

The interim payments will be made by the Infected Blood Support Schemes in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. To apply, use this application form.

Completed application forms, alongside evidence documents, should be returned by post to the support scheme in the country where the deceased person was infected.

Claims can only be made by post. Certified copies of documents will be accepted, meaning a copy has to be signed by a professional person, such as a solicitor or a teacher. Details of how to get a document certified can be found on the Government website.

How long will it take to receive an interim payment?

The Infected Blood Support Schemes aim to provide a decision on your application within 30 working days from the date of receipt. If the process is expected to take longer, you will be contacted by the Infected Blood Support Scheme.

Where can I find out more?

For further information on interim compensation, visit the Government website.
For guidance on eligibility and how to apply for compensation, you can find out more here.