Bereaved partners urged to come forward for more support

• Bereaved partners of those affected by infected blood in the 1970’s and 1980’s will receive annual payments in England, backdated to April 2019
• Those eligible should come forward by 1 April 2022 to receive backdated payments,
• Changes to the support scheme will ensure parity between UK’s infected blood support schemes

Bereaved spouses and partners of those who were infected with HIV or Hepatitis C as a result of treatment with NHS blood or blood products in the 1970’s or 1980’s are being urged to come forward and register with EIBSS before 1 April 2022 if they have not already done so to claim support payments, following an update to the scheme.

Changes introduced in March 2021 mean bereaved partners not yet registered with the England Infected Blood Support Scheme (EIBSS) will now be entitled to annual payments.

Payments under the updated scheme commenced on 1 December.

Minister for Patient Safety, Maria Caulfield, said:

We’ve always been clear those infected and their partners should be supported by a fair and transparent support scheme that focuses on their welfare and long-term independence.

These changes will mean better support for people who have lost partners and I urge anyone eligible to apply for these payments.

We have listened to the public and to stakeholders and are working with the devolved administrations to ensure greater parity of support across the UK.

The changes are part of wider plans to bring greater parity across the UK infected blood support schemes. Eligible individuals who submit an application before 1 April 2022 will receive payments backdated to 1 April 2019 or the date of bereavement if later.

Those who register after this date will receive payments backdated to the date their application was received.

Bereaved partners already known to the scheme will be contacted directly and many have already received their first payment.

To receive backdating, individuals need to register before 1 April 2022.

• Bereaved partners can still register after 1 April 2022.
• The first payments under this new system were made this week (Wednesday 1 December).
• For more information on EIBSS and support available, visit here
• Similar infected blood support schemes operate in Scotland (SIBSS), Wales (WIBSS) and Northern Ireland (NIIBSS). For more information, visit:
• SIBSS
• WIBSS
• NIIBSS