The government has pledged to overhaul the financial support system for people harmed or bereaved by Covid vaccines, addressing a key recommendation from the UK Covid Inquiry’s latest report.
Baroness Hallett, chair of the inquiry, called for urgent reform of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme in her fourth report, stating that while vaccine injuries affect a minority of people, their support requires immediate improvement. The scheme currently requires individuals to demonstrate at least 60% disability to qualify for compensation, a threshold the inquiry found ineffective for Covid vaccine-related claims. More than 24,000 people have submitted Covid-related claims to the scheme, though only slightly over 1% have received one-off tax-free awards of £120,000.
The government stated in its response that it is committed to reviewing the scheme to ensure it functions properly and serves its intended purpose. English ministers indicated they would collaborate with other UK nations and those affected by Covid vaccines and their families during this process.
Vaccine Injured and Bereaved UK, a prominent campaign organization representing those harmed by Covid vaccines, acknowledged the government’s recognition that vaccine injury and bereavement are real issues and that the current scheme is inadequate. However, the group expressed concern that recognition of the problem does not constitute a binding commitment to implement reforms. The organization noted that after more than five years of advocacy efforts, it had hoped for concrete action plans rather than further review periods, and called for clear timelines and assurances about when meaningful changes would occur.
Recent disclosures revealed that operating the scheme has cost £83m since April 2022, with administrative and assessment expenses exceeding double the £32m distributed to victims in financial support during that period.
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