Covid vaccine compensation scheme set for overhaul after Inquiry criticism
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More than 24,000 Covid vaccine-harm claims have been made - most relating to the AstraZeneca jab The government has committed to reform of the scheme that provides financial support for those injured or bereaved by vaccines.
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It was a key recommendation of the UK Covid Inquiry, and has been a focus for campaigners.
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One campaign group has welcomed the recognition that vaccine injury and bereavement is real and that the current scheme is not fit for purpose.
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But it says it wants a clear commitment to action by ministers, rather than simply saying they will look further at what needs to be done.
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The benefits of vaccination are well documented.
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The AstraZeneca Covid jab is credited with saving millions of lives worldwide. But some people have experienced harm. In her fourth report, the chair of the Covid Inquiry, Baroness Hallett, called for better support for those affected.
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She said while this was a minority, the way they are supported needed urgent reform.
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More than 24,000 people have made Covid-related claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), a form of financial support paid by the government, but just over 1% have resulted in one-off tax-free awards of £120,000.
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The report called for "urgent" reform of the scheme, saying that it is "not sufficiently supportive".
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It said the current system, in which those affected must show they have been at least "60% disabled", does not work effectively for Covid vaccines.
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In its response to the report, the government says, external it is committed to reviewing the scheme to ensure it is "fit for purpose and delivered effectively."
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Ministers in England have promised to work closely with the other nations of the UK as well as those injured by the Covid vaccine and their families.
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One of the main campaign groups for those who were injured by the Covid vaccine is Vaccine Injured and Bereaved UK.
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The group welcomed the government's acknowledgement that vaccine injury and bereavement were real and that the VDPS is not fit for purpose.
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But in a statement it said that was not the same as committing to action.
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"After more than five years of campaigning, and with the Covid-19 Inquiry explicitly calling for reform as soon as possible, we had hoped the Government would finally come forward with a clear commitment to action, not simply say it would look further at what needs to be done.
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"We understand that work may be needed to develop the reforms, but there is a real difference between saying you will look at something and committing to deliver it.
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"Today, we have no clear timetable, no certainty about what will change and no assurance about when families will finally see meaningful progress."
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The Government response also said it recognised there were concerns about the running costs of the scheme.
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Last month it was revealed that the VDPS has cost £83m to run since April 2022.
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The amount spent on administration costs and medical assessments was more than double the £32m paid out in financial support to victims so far.
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Ministers say they will ensure the scheme is working properly.
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