UK’s infected blood victims to receive interim compensation payment of £210,000

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - Britain’s Paymaster General John Glen announced Tuesday that victims of an infected blood scandal will get £210,000 ($267,000) as an interim compensation payment.

Glen told the House of Commons that the initial payment would be given to those living with the effects of contaminated blood "within 90 days, starting in the summer."

“Payments of £210,000 will be made to living infected beneficiaries, those registered with existing infected blood support schemes as well as those who register with a support scheme before the final scheme becomes operational and the estates of those who pass away between now and payments being made,” he said. “I know that time is of the essence which is why I am also pleased to say that they will be delivered within 90 days, starting in the summer so that they can reach those who need it so urgently most.”

The payments under a final compensation scheme will start to be issued by the end of the year.

The government said those infected with HIV, with a co-infection of HIV and Hepatitis C/Hepatitis B, will receive more than £2 million.

Glen did not confirm the cost of the compensation package, however, former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said it could be upwards of £10 billion.

The Infected Blood Inquiry was established in 2017 to examine how thousands of patients developed HIV and the hepatitis C virus through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

Around 2,900 people died in the years since, many sufferers of the blood-clotting disorder hemophilia.

Reports showed that more than 30,000 Britons were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C from infected blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.