Recommendation IR2-3: Standard of Proof and Automatic Eligibility

The Government acknowledges the further distress and trauma that can be caused to those applying for compensation, and so the Scheme has been designed to minimise the burden on applicants whilst protecting against fraud. People registered on a current UK infected blood support scheme or predecessor Alliance House organisation scheme will automatically be eligible for compensation. However, they may need to provide further evidence to enable assessment of the compensation award amount. People not registered with a current or former support scheme who acquired infections within the time period where evidence from the IBI suggests contamination to be likely, will be asked to provide evidence to establish infection cause (i.e. evidence of infection and relevant causative treatment). This follows recommendation 3 of the Second Interim Report, which aims to avoid adversarial concepts of the burden of proof on applicants.