Families of infected blood scandal victims call for changes to compensation scheme
Families of more than 300 victims of the infected blood scandal are calling on the government to make changes to the compensation scheme, claiming they are being “excluded” from the current guidelines.
Thousands became infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s, with more than 3,000 known to have died so far.
After a public inquiry into the scandal concluded last year, the government announced the creation of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), an arm’s length body that would manage the payments to victims and their families.
However, speaking to Sky News a member of the Tainted Blood – Siblings and Children group says their concerns about the proposed scheme have not been addressed.
As it currently stands, there are three ways in which the sibling of a victim would be eligible for payment: If, while under the age of 18, they lived in the same household as an infected person for a period of at least two years after the onset of the infection, if they acted as their carer, or if they are entitled to the proceeds from property owned by their infected relative.
Mark Newton (right) was Richard’s elder brother
These proposals are why people like Richard Newton, who lost his brother Mark to HIV in 1989 feel anger. He says he has written to the IBCA on multiple occasions.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “We’re being given the silent treatment by the government. We’re being swept under the rug and not listened to.”
Richard was just 11 when Mark died from infected blood products.
He said: “Everything in my life changed, I was severely bullied at school because kids thought I had the lurgy and my parents couldn’t cope. I wasn’t getting any help.”
The following year, Richard was sectioned under the Mental Health Act at 12.
Now, as an adult, Mark is still affected by childhood trauma more than 30 years on.
He added: “I learned in therapy that I had trust issues, I had trauma bond issues, I had co-dependency issues, I’d been trying my whole life to find a brother.
“The effect on my family and I is catastrophic beyond my comprehension.”
In response to the current state of the scheme, Richard said: “I have absolutely no idea where that information comes from. Does my brother stop becoming my brother in under two years? Does my brother stop becoming my brother because he had a different infection to somebody else?”
Des Collins, senior partner at Collins Solicitors, who represented over 1,500 victims has also expressed concerns about the current scheme.
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“What should happen is that someone should sit down and look very carefully at the regulations which are going to come out,” he said.
“We’re told, in the early part of next year, [to] see to what extent they can be adjusted to give more prominence to the position in which Richard finds himself. Now, whether that is going to happen or not, we just don’t know.”
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In response, a government spokesperson said: “No amount of compensation can fully address the suffering as a result of this scandal, but we are doing everything possible to deliver life-changing sums to people infected and affected.
“While we can’t comment on individual cases, the compensation scheme does make provisions for siblings in a range of circumstances to apply.
“The compensation scheme, which is established in law, is based on recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry, Sir Robert Francis KC, and a group of healthcare and legal experts.”
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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