The UK government has announced an additional £1bn for victims of the infected blood scandal, including a £35,000 increase for former pupils of Treloar's college who were experimented on without their knowledge. Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds outlined the changes in response to a public consultation on the compensation scheme.
The compensation pot, set at £11.8bn in the 2024 autumn budget, will see core injury awards rise for infected individuals and their relatives. The 'unethical research' award for Treloar attendees rises from £25,000 to £60,000, with a new £45,000 award for those treated elsewhere for a bleeding disorder during childhood, and a tripling to £30,000 for those treated as adults.
Gary Webster, infected with HIV and hepatitis C at Treloar's in the 1970s and 80s, welcomed the increase but said it was insufficient given the scale of suffering. Of 122 haemophiliac boys at the college, over 80 have died. The Liberal Democrats and charities expressed disappointment, with the Hepatitis C Trust calling the changes 'very minor'.
As of 7 April, 3,273 compensation offers had been made, totalling over £2.6bn, with 3,161 acceptances. The government acknowledged that no amount of money can fully compensate for the suffering endured.
