Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme - payment changes: statement

Information on changes to SIBSS payments in light of the UK Government announcement of 25 March 2021 (updated 8 July 2021)

Following comments about the disparities between infected blood payments across the UK by the Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, agreement has been reached in principle between the four devolved governments to reduce these disparities. 

All changes to annual payments will be backdated to April 2019 so regular payments you received since then for any time period you were eligible are being topped up to reflect the levels paid by the English Infected Blood Support Scheme in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. If you already receive an annual payment, you do not need to do anything to apply for the backdated money as SIBSS will arrange payment for you.

The new payment levels for SIBSS effective from April 2021 are set out below in the right-hand column.

	SIBSS (previously planned) 2021-22	UK Parity Payments 2021-22*
Chronic HCV Stage 1 (no noticeable impact)	£0	£10,000
Chronic HCV Stage 1 (moderately affected)	£6,439	£19,456
Chronic HCV Stage 1 (severely affected)	£19,317	£29,224
Advanced HCV (Stage 2)	£27,596	£29,224
HIV	£27,596	£29,224
Coinfected	£37,817	£45,616
Widows/ers/partners – chronic HCV – no noticeable impact	£0	£7,092
Widows/ers/partners – chronic HCV – moderately affected	£4,829	£14,184
Widows/ers/partners – chronic HCV – severely affected	£14,488	£21,510
Widows/ers/partners – advanced HCV or HIV	£20,697	£21,510
Widows/ers/partners - coinfected	£28,363	£33,804

* Note – the UK payment levels for the infected include a winter fuel allowance of £544. SIBSS will confirm in due course when this part of the payment will be paid, but this is likely to be paid in autumn 2021.

Those in the Stage 1 group who have self-assessed that hepatitis c (HCV) has no noticeable impact on their day to day life will also now be able to get an annual payment and payments backdated to April 2019. For those not already receiving the living costs supplement, an application form should be sent to you by SIBSS. If you have not received one, please get in touch with the SIBSS team using the contact details below. 

Please note that the payment levels set out above for the bereaved widows, widowers, civil partners or long-term cohabiting partners of an infected beneficiary who died are for those whose spouse or partner died over 12 months ago.  If your spouse or partner died within the last 12 months you will get the same amount as your spouse or partner would have been entitled to until the first 12 months have passed.

In addition, those widows, widowers, civil partners or long-term cohabiting partners who have since remarried, entered into a new civil partnership or are living with a new partner will now be able to receive these regular annual payments as well and will also receive backdated top-up payments for period from April 2019.

A new £10,000 lump sum payment will now be made on the death of a beneficiary to support their family with expenses, such as funeral costs.  This will be available both to widows, widowers, civil partners or long-term cohabiting partners of a beneficiary who has died or, if they did not have a partner, the deceased person’s estate will be able to claim this payment.  This payment is available to the families of any infected SIBSS beneficiary who has died since 1 April 2017. Application forms are now available from SIBSS via the contact details below.

In addition, HIV lump sum payments will be increased to £80,500 for existing infected beneficiaries who have received less than £80,500 previously.