Inquiries Infected Blood Inquiry Reported

Infected Blood Inquiry

Examining how thousands of NHS patients were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

Read the full description

Examining how thousands of NHS patients were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. Found the scandal could largely have been avoided and victims were failed by the NHS, government, and blood services. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is administering compensation and publishes registration and payment progress statistics roughly every fortnight (see below). On 14 April 2026 the Government published its response to consultation on proposed changes to the Scheme (CP 1565), announcing approximately £1bn in additional compensation payments on top of the £11.8bn allocated in the 2024 Autumn Budget, with regulations to follow later in 2026.

Where it stands

Public hearings were held on 294 days between September 2018 and July 2025. The inquiry has published 4 reports, most recently Additional Report on Compensation on 9 July 2025. The most recent government response on the record is IBCA accepts recommendations in Infected Blood Inquiry additional report, dated 21 July 2025.

ChairSir Brian LangstaffJudge / Judiciary
Commissioned byCabinet OfficeCommissioned by the Prime Minister
Established24 Sep 2018
Final report20 May 2024
Duration7 years, 6 months
Total reported cost£146.2m
Inquiry website Terms of reference Official statement
Announced 11 Jul 2017
Terms of reference 25 Jul 2018
Hearings 30 Apr 2019 · 294 sitting days
First Payments Made 1 Dec 2024
Additional Report on Compensation 9 Jul 2025
Recommendations 103 tracked

IBCA compensation progress

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority publishes registration and compensation progress statistics roughly every fortnight.

View the latest IBCA statistics

Reports & recommendations

All 103 recommendations →
103 recommendations across 4 reports

Government response

Accepted 63
Accepted in part 39
Under consideration 1
Latest statement by addressee
No statement from UK Government found in the sources searched: 52; another body’s finding on record for 12
Cabinet Office says in progress: 13; another body’s finding on record for 2
Scottish Government says in progress: 10
Department of Health and Social Care says in progress: 6
No statement from Infected Blood Compensation Authority found in the sources searched: 5
Infected Blood Compensation Authority says in progress: 4
Cabinet Office says completed: 3; another body’s finding on record for 1
Infected Blood Memorial Committee says in progress: 3
UK Government says completed: 2
No statement from UK Government or NHS England found in the sources searched: 2
Cabinet Office says partially delivered: 1
Department of Health NI says in progress: 1
Welsh Government says in progress: 1; another body’s finding on record for 1

"No statement found" means none was found in the sources searched, last checked 11 June 2026. Each figure is the latest statement from the body the recommendation is addressed to. Other bodies’ findings are shown on each recommendation and do not change these figures.

Data last updated: 16 Sep 2026 · Source
Checked against sources: 11 Jun 2026
How to read this

Government Response tracks what the government said it would do (accepted, rejected, etc.).

Full methodology

Latest evidence

All 30851 documents →
Hearing Transcript · 412Witness Statement · 6142Exhibit · 16119Opening Statement · 1Closing Statement · 11Written Submission · 52
Hepatitis Level 3 submissions 26 March
Written Submission · 30 Mar 2026
INQY1000285 - London - Transcript of the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry Additi…
Hearing Transcript · 9 Jul 2025
THOM0000004 - Letter from Thompsons to the Infected Blood Inquiry - 20 Jun 2025
Exhibit · 20 Jun 2025
WITN1791048 - Email from Cabinet Office re legal representatives - 17 Jun 2024
Exhibit · 17 Jun 2025
RNEW0000001 - Letter from the Paymaster General to Tainted Blood Affected Siblings and Ch…
Exhibit · 13 Jun 2025
WITN7769001 - Written Statement of Dr Sarah Helps - 11 Jun 2025
Witness Statement · 11 Jun 2025

Findings about the inquiry's recommendations as a whole

Sir Brian Langstaff (oral evidence to PACAC) (30 Jun 2026)
This site's summary of the finding: Giving oral evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 30 June 2026, Sir Brian Langstaff said of the recommendations that followed the Inquiry's second set of hearings, on compensation (the Additional Report): "We made recommendations that have all been accepted. Some are subject to consultation; they are really recommendations to be consulted about with a view to taking a different approach. That has been done."
Infected Blood Inquiry (Chair, Sir Brian Langstaff) (31 Mar 2026)
This site's summary of the finding: In the annex to his letter of 31 March 2026 to the Minister for the Cabinet Office notifying the end of the Inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, its Chair, wrote: "I acknowledge, here, that the Government accepted all the recommendations in the Infected Blood Inquiry Report, but some “in principle”, for just this reason."
Scottish Government (Oversight and Assurance Group minutes) (24 Mar 2026)
This site's summary of the finding: The minutes of the Scottish Government's Infected Blood Oversight and Assurance Group (meeting of 24 March 2026) record, under recommendation 6 (monitoring liver damage for people infected with Hepatitis C), progress in Scotland only: "The detailed case note review of these patients found they had all been appropriately assessed and followed up for liver damage, with the exception of where they had defaulted from follow up. As previously agreed at the OAG, officials asked the Viral Hepatitis Strategic Group to take forward a review of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) clinical guidelines. This was delayed due to clinician capacity, but is expected to be completed by the end of March 2026."
IBCA Community Update (15 Jan 2026)
This site's summary of the finding: As of 13 January 2026: 3,721 people asked to start claims, 3,546 begun process, 3,074 received offers totalling £2.47bn, 2,861 paid totalling £1.89bn. Third compensation regulations in force 31 December 2025.

Costs

Total reported cost £146,162,778
1 Apr 2018 to 31 Mar 2025 Total Expenditure April 2018 - March 2025

Total Expenditure April 2018 - March 2025

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2018 to 31 Mar 2025.

Cumulative total over 7 years. Investigation team (41.5% of total) includes paralegals, investigators and lawyers working on the Inquiry. Participant support includes travel and psychological support for core participants.

Total Expenditure April 2018 - March 2025

Breakdown and notes

Cost breakdown (to Mar 2025)

Inquiry Legal Costs £67,290,993 Panel remuneration & Counsel to the Inquiry
Core Participant Legal Costs £27,242,761 Legal funding for core participants
Staff £12,394,166
Accommodation £7,767,036
Technology £8,536,884
Safeguarding £1,496,720
Other £21,434,218

Cost history (8 reports)

Period Total Inquiry Legal CP Legal Source
Mar 2025 (cum.) £146,162,778 £67,290,993 £27,242,761

Total Expenditure April 2018 - March 2025

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2018 to 31 Mar 2025.

Cumulative total over 7 years. Investigation team (41.5% of total) includes paralegals, investigators and lawyers working on the Inquiry. Participant support includes travel and psychological support for core participants.

Total Expenditure April 2018 - March 2025
Mar 2025 £5,511,059 £1,514,906 £603,277

Financial Report 2024-25

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2024 to 31 Mar 2025.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2024-25
Mar 2024 £10,301,344 £5,354,237 £937,131

Financial Report 2023-24

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2023 to 31 Mar 2024.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2023-24
Mar 2023 £28,254,992 £11,694,492 £7,154,110

Financial Report 2022-23

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2022 to 31 Mar 2023.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2022-23
Mar 2022 £32,522,939 £15,491,533 £5,778,813

Financial Report 2021-22

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2021 to 31 Mar 2022.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2021-22
Mar 2021 £34,270,948 £20,797,365 £4,505,612

Financial Report 2020-21

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2020 to 31 Mar 2021.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2020-21
Mar 2020 £25,992,907 £9,959,119 £5,742,876

Financial Report 2019-20

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2019 to 31 Mar 2020.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2019-20
Mar 2019 £9,308,693 £2,479,341 £2,520,943

Financial Report 2018-19

Source and qualifications

Accounting period: 1 Apr 2018 to 31 Mar 2019.

Annual expenditure. Inquiry Legal includes Counsel (barristers) and Investigation team (paralegals, investigators, lawyers). Other includes Hearings/Report publication, Travel, and Experts.

Financial Report 2018-19