Infected Blood Payment Scheme
The Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland provides support to you and your family if you have been infected by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and/ or Hepatitis C after treatment with blood, or blood products from the NHS.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must be infected with HIV and/ or Hepatitis C as a result of contaminated blood, or blood products during NHS treatment in Northern Ireland.
You are also eligible if you became infected by someone (for example, your spouse, civil partner, partner or parent) whose HIV and/ or Hepatitis C is from receiving contaminated blood, or blood products during NHS treatment in Northern Ireland.
Bereaved spouses, civil partners and long-term partners of those infected with HIV or Hepatitis C as a result of treatment with NHS blood or blood products, who themselves were not infected, may also be eligible for support if they were co-habiting at the time of death.
If you now live in another country, you are still eligible if the treatment took place in Northern Ireland.
Support available
The scheme offers various types of financial support, including:
- lump sum payments
- regular monthly or quarterly payments
- discretionary one-off grant payments
- annual winter fuel payments
What you are entitled to will depend on your circumstances.
Improved payments are available to the beneficiaries of the Infected Blood Payment Scheme.
Payments include increased lump sums for those who became infected with Hepatitis C and HIV as a result of treatment with NHS-supplied contaminated blood, as well as improved annual financial support for bereaved spouses and partners.
The Government has announced interim payments of £100,000 for infected beneficiaries and bereaved partners currently registered with the Infected Blood Support Schemes. Further details will be provided to those affected in writing as soon as possible.
How to apply
To apply, contact the Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland.