UK Government apologizes for infected blood compensation error

The UK Government has apologized for a mathematical error in compensation offers to victims of infected blood. Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent announced the mistake in the House of Lords and stated that those affected were contacted to explain the situation. The error meant that a small number of victims were offered less money than they should have received. Baroness Anderson assured claimants that they would not end up worse off because of this mistake. She described the situation as "deeply regrettable" and acknowledged that some individuals might feel disheartened by the error. Changes are being made to the compensation scheme to fix the problem. The draft regulations for 2025 will use a new calculation method to prevent similar issues in the future. Baroness Anderson confirmed that all affected individuals would receive their rightful compensation, along with an additional payment for the inconvenience caused. Concerns were raised by members of the House of Lords about potential inconsistencies and new requirements in the compensation process. Some believe these changes conflict with recommendations from a prior inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal. Baroness Brinton, a Liberal Democrat peer, highlighted that there are numerous issues with the current scheme and pointed out delays in compensation payouts. As of March 14, 255 people have been invited to make compensation claims. So far, 214 have begun the process, and 63 offers totaling over £73 million have been made. More than £44 million in compensation has already been paid to 40 individuals who accepted their offers.