Those who contracted HIV because of infected blood face a lottery to get compensation where the odds are stacked against them.
One year after the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s final report, thousands still wait for justice.
Despite the UK Government’s announcement of a £11.8 billion compensation package and the establishment of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, many of those most severely affected—people infected with HIV through contaminated blood—remain uncompensated. They now face a lottery, where random case handling has replaced fairness, leaving their lives in limbo.
Our Chief Executive, Richard Angell OBE, has written to Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, urging immediate action to rectify this injustice in the next set of recommendations due later this year.
Our letter in full
Dear Sir Brian,
Thank you for your continued efforts to amplify the voices of those impacted by the infected blood scandal.
As I hope you will agree, a lottery is by nature random — a process that arbitrary but not fair. At present, the around 250 infected individuals Terrence Higgins Trust supports find themselves caught in such a lottery: one in which they hold disproportionately low chances to progress their case. Those who were coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C have died earlier and at a significantly higher rate than others impacted by this scandal, leaving the remaining survivors — the most gravely impacted — still fighting for justice decades after their struggle began in the 1980s.
Their prolonged suffering is reflected in the higher tariffs assigned to them within the compensation framework. You have already heard directly from many co-infected haemophiliacs regarding the psychological toll the continued wait for compensation is exacting. As more time passes, we are witnessing a marked increase in both the frequency and intensity of distress among those we support.
The information needed by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to process core route claims quickly is already in the possession of these individuals. In one recent example, a member of this group was able to locate and provide the necessary documentation within two hours. If there is sufficient will from those with the authority to act, we firmly believe that these claims could be fully resolved before the Autumn.
At Terrence Higgins Trust, we stand ready to assist in any way necessary to support the swift processing of these cases. The victims we work with – everyone with HIV – should not be burdened with further bureaucratic hurdles — such as having to prove diagnoses like ‘full-blown AIDS’ – nearly two decades of HIV without treatment should speak for itself. Their claims are among the most straightforward and should be prioritised accordingly.
We hope you will reflect this urgency in your upcoming recommendations and lend your continued support to ensure justice is delivered without further delay.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Angell OBE
Chief Executive
