Updated 25th October 2024
Yesterday, the government announced that registration has opened for an interim payment of £100,000 to some of the estates of individuals who died as a result of the Infected Blood Scandal.
Estates will be able to apply for this Interim payment if both of the following criteria are met:
- the person who died registered with an Infected Blood Support Scheme (IBSS) or an Alliance House Organisation Scheme (AHOS) on or before 17 April 2024
- the person who died, their bereaved partner or their estate has not already received a compensation payment of £100,000
If the person who died was not registered with an IBSS scheme or the previous schemes (The Skipton Fund, The McFarlane Trust, The Caxton Foundation or MFET Ltd), the estate is not eligible to apply for an Interim payment at this stage. This includes estates of those who were infected with Hepatitis B. However, they may apply for compensation from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority at a later date once the full compensation scheme opens.
Applications will be administered, and payments processed by the Infected Blood Support Schemes, which currently manage the support scheme payments for infected people and bereaved partners.
To apply for the interim payment, complete the application form. Applications are expected to be processed and a decision made within 30 working days from the date of receipt.
In Scotland, you will require a letter of confirmation from the court giving the executor the authority to receive and distribute the funds in accordance with the deceased’s Will (or intestate if there was no Will in place). You may already have the required letter of confirmation from the court if you are the executor of the estate.
This can be a very complex process, and the Government announcement has also confirmed that legal fees (up to a maximum of £1,500) can be claimed back if your Interim payment application is successful.
Thompsons Solicitors, who represented many of the core participants in Scotland throughout the Infected Blood Inquiry, are willing to assist and have provided a contact form on their website for those seeking more information or assistance with their application.
Alternatively, you can use the Law Society for Scotland website, or speak to family and friends about solicitors they have used and trusted. You may also wish to speak to the solicitor who helped distribute the estate.