IBI-A-3a Response Accepted AI-assessed

HIV Eligibility Start Date

Recommendation

An amendment to the Regulations be made as soon as possible to remove the reference to 1 January 1982 from Regulation 3.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
According to Gov.uk, Infected Blood Inquiry Additional Report: Government Response, 21 July 2025, the UK Government committed in July 2025 to amend the compensation scheme regulations to remove the 1 January 1982 start date for HIV eligibility, ensuring all individuals infected with HIV due to infected blood or blood products are eligible for compensation regardless of the year of infection. According to the IBCA Community Update of 15 January 2026 and the IBCA Independent Review of 28 October 2025, the third set of compensation regulations came into force on 31 December 2025, which would be the mechanism for such an amendment.
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 19 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Response
Accepted
Accepted UK Government
21 Jul 2025

In his oral evidence to the Inquiry, the Minister for the Cabinet Office agreed to look again at the Scheme's eligibility criteria for people infected with HIV. The Inquiry went on to recommend that the scheme should be open to those who were infected with HIV before 1982. The Government commits to amend the scheme to remove the 1982 start date, meaning anyone infected with HIV because of treatment with infected blood or blood products will be eligible for compensation, irrespective of the year they were infected. Whilst there will be no start date for eligibility to the scheme, the financial loss award requires a date of first possible infection (for instances where a specific date cannot be identified). In these cases the date will mirror the start date for Hepatitis which is 1952. The Inquiry's Report noted that doing this was 'unlikely to give rise to any injustice'.

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Published Evidence

Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.

Good Progress
15 Jan 2026
IBCA Community Update Other

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.

View detailed findings

IBCA exceeded initial expectations. Three sets of regulations now in force covering infected persons, affected persons, and supplementary routes. £11.8bn committed in October 2024 Budget. Independent review found "very creditable progress."

IBCA Community Update, 15 January 2026 View Source
Reasonable Progress
28 Oct 2025
IBCA Independent Review Other

IBCA has contacted 2,215 people to begin compensation claims; 1,934 started process. £812m+ paid via Horizon Shortfall Scheme. £11.8bn committed in Autumn Budget.

View detailed findings

IBCA exceeded expectations for first cohort and established operational service with "compassionate ethos." Target: bulk of infected payments by 2027, affected by 2029. Third compensation scheme regulations came into law 31 December 2025.

IBCA CO-Sponsored Independent Review Report, Octo… View Source
Source
Report Additional Report on Compensation 09 Jul 2025
Responsible Bodies
UK Government Primary
Recommendation age 0.7 yr
Last formal update 21 Jul 2025