Infected Blood Payment Scheme: eligibility
The Infected Blood Payment Scheme Northern Ireland (IBPS NI) supports people who became infected with hepatitis C and/ or HIV due to treatment with NHS-supplied blood or blood products, and the bereaved spouse, civil partner or long-term partner of someone who died following infection.
The Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland is now closed to new applications.
Eligibility
Support is available if you:
- were infected with hepatitis C and/ or HIV as a result of treatment with NHS blood or blood products in Northern Ireland
- are the bereaved spouse, civil partner or long-term co-habiting partner of someone infected as a result of contaminated blood who has died
- are responsible for the estate of someone who was infected, who has passed away and has no surviving spouse or partner
If you now live outside Northern Ireland, you are still eligible if the NHS treatment took place in Northern Ireland.
The scheme has closed to new applications.
Further information is available at:
Chronic hepatitis C payments
The Infected Blood Payment Scheme Northern Ireland (IBPS NI) offers support if you were:
infected with hepatitis C as a result of treatment with NHS blood, blood products or tissue in Northern Ireland before September 1991
infected with hepatitis C (HCV) by someone who was infected through treatment with NHS blood, blood products or tissue before September 1991
HIV payments
The IBPS NI offers support if you were:
- infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as a result of treatment with NHS blood, blood products or tissue in Northern Ireland before 17 February 1992
- infected by someone whose HIV infection was as a result of receiving contaminated blood, blood products or tissue during NHS treatment in Northern Ireland before 17 February 1992
Estates and partners of a deceased beneficiary
Bereaved spouses, civil partners and long-term partners of those who were infected with HIV and/ or hepatitis C as a result of treatment with NHS blood or blood products in Northern Ireland, who themselves were not infected, were eligible for support if they were co-habiting at the time of death.
Monthly support payments
If a registered beneficiary who had been infected has died, the surviving spouse or partner will receive 100 per cent of the deceased beneficiary’s payment for one year and 75 per cent of that rate from the second year onwards.
Help with funeral costs
You may be able to apply for up to £4,500 towards funeral costs if a registered beneficiary dies.
Winter fuel payments
If you are registered with the IBPSNI you will automatically receive an annual winter fuel payment.
Discretionary support
If you are already registered with IBPS NI, you may be entitled to discretionary support in the form of a one-off grant to help with essential items or services. However, any grants paid will be deducted from any final compensation.
Further information is available at:
Further information
For more information, contact the Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland at the contact details below:
- 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