Bereaved spouses of victims of the infected blood scandal have been instructed by the government to repay £10,000 of their compensation after it was determined the payments were made in error. Letters sent to a dozen former partners since July state that the money, received up to five years ago, should not have been issued because their partners died more than six months prior to the applications being made.
The letters reportedly read: ‘Unfortunately, this means you were not eligible for the bereavement lump sum and should not have received this payment. We sincerely apologize that this error was not identified at an earlier stage.’
The infected blood scandal, described as one of the worst treatment mistakes in NHS history by Sir Brian Langstaff, who chaired a public inquiry into the matter, saw over 3,000 people die from HIV and hepatitis viruses between the 1970s and 1990s. Approximately 30,000 people were infected during this period.
Victims of the scandal are entitled to substantial compensation through a government scheme. The Hepatitis C Trust called the repayment demand "unforgivable," with chief executive Rachel Halford stating that the prospect of repaying compensation for an injustice inflicted by the state undermines the aim of providing peace and resolution to sufferers. She added that people who have endured such hardship should not have to live with the fear of recompense being taken away due to government error.
According to the letters, repayment is not expected in a single lump sum. A government spokesperson acknowledged awareness of the compensation recall and stated that the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office have instructed officials to suspend any repayment orders. The spokesperson conveyed that thoughts remain with the victims and families affected by the scandal, emphasizing that no one should face further hardship or unfairness due to state failings.