Infected Blood Payment Scheme
The Infected Blood Payment Scheme Northern Ireland (IBPS NI) supports people infected with hepatitis C and/ or HIV due to treatment with NHS-supplied blood or blood products, and the bereaved partner of someone who died following infection. The scheme closed to new applications in April 2025.
Closure of IBPS NI
The IBPS NI closed to new applications in April 2025 and will legally transfer to the UK-wide Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) from 1 February 2027.
From this date, IBCA will be responsible for paying the regular support payments you receive from the IBPS NI, if you have chosen this compensation option.
For more information, visit:
Payments and income tax
Information on payment rates are available from the Infected Blood Payment Scheme for NI.
If you live in the UK, income tax will not be taken from the payments you receive from the IBPS NI.
You do not need to declare the payments in any income tax return you send to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
However, any return from investing those sums is not exempt from tax.
Once any money from the IBPS NI or any interim compensation from the UK Government is invested, any interest received on that investment will be taxable in the normal way and should be declared in tax returns and self-assessments.
Benefits
Payments from IBPS NI do not count if you are getting or applying for any of the following means-tested benefits from the Department for Communities (DfC):
- State Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
This means that your income and any grants from the IBPS NI are not considered when DfC assesses your application for any of the above benefits.
However, you are still required to declare to DfC any payments that you receive from the IBPS NI.
If you don’t tell the Department for Communities about payments received from IBPS NI, they won’t be able to work out what money they should disregard.
This might mean any benefits that depend on the amount of money you have could be affected.
IBPS NI payments should be disregarded by local authorities in making assessments for social care.
If you are a beneficiary of the IBPS NI who lives in England and are getting council tax reductions, you will need to tell your local authority that you have received the payment through the IBPS NI.
Payments through the IPBS NI should be disregarded by local authorities when calculating council tax.
Winter fuel payments
If you are registered with the IBPS NI you will automatically receive an annual winter fuel payment.
Psychological support
Being infected with hepatitis C or HIV from NHS-supplied blood or blood products may have affected you and your family members in different ways. This may include having an impact on your psychological wellbeing or mental health.
Support is available from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
If you get queries about your income from the IBPS NI
If you get any queries from authorities such as Department for Communities, His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) or your local council (if you live in England), you need to tell them about this guidance.
If you have any problems or they ask you to go to a formal interview, you will need to let the IBPS NI know.
You will be sent a letter to confirm payments you have received from the IBPS NI and to tell the Department for Communities to disregard those payments to you.
Other financial services
There are many services which can offer advice on managing your money and finances:
Other useful information and support services
Latest editions of the Infected Blood Payment Scheme Northern Ireland (IBPS NI) newsletter, previously conducted surveys and consultations, as well as links to previous ministerial statements and press releases are available on the Department of Health website:
The Infected Blood Inquiry published its final report on 20 May 2024.
Further information
For more information on the Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland contact:
- email: bso.ibss@hscni.net
- phone: 028 9536 3817
- in writing to:
Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland
Business Services Organisation
Finance Directorate 2nd Floor
2 Franklin Street
Belfast
BT2 8DQ
For more information on the Infected Blood Compensation Authority contact:
- email: ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk
- phone: 0141 726 2397
- website: Infected Blood Compensation Authority