Infected blood victims face bureaucratic hurdles over compensation claims

The short version

• Victims and bereaved relatives report being required to produce decades-old records to prove eligibility for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) scheme.[The Guardian]
• Campaigners state that applicants are being subjected to excessive burdens of proof, with some asked to supply school records, utility bills, or family photos.[The Guardian]
• Research by the Haemophilia Society suggests that only 15% of projected claims have been processed two years into the IBCA's inception.[The Guardian]
• Advocacy groups are urging regulatory changes to shift the evidentiary burden from applicants onto the state.[The Guardian]

Key facts

• Victims and families report having to locate decades-old medical records to qualify for compensation, despite public inquiry recommendations advocating a balance-of-probability standard.[The Guardian]
• Research from the Haemophilia Society indicates that only about 15% of projected compensation claims have been handled two years after the IBCA's inception.[The Guardian]
• The Haemophilia Society is calling for regulatory reform to place the burden of evidence on the state rather than on applicants.[The Guardian]
• Campaigners and legal representatives assert that applicants face demands resembling a beyond-reasonable-doubt standard rather than an assessment of available probability.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Infected blood victims and their relatives are left struggling to claim compensationThe Guardian - World