More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s–1990s, marking the worst treatment disaster in NHS history. The scandal affected two main groups: people with bleeding disorders like haemophilia (especially children) and patients receiving blood transfusions after surgery or childbirth. At least 2,900 people have died, and many more were left chronically ill.
An official inquiry, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, found repeated failures by doctors, blood services, and successive governments, including knowingly using unsafe blood from high-risk sources (e.g., US prisoners) and failing to warn patients or treat blood to eliminate viruses. Sir Brian concluded: “This disaster was not an accident.”
The government has allocated £11.8 billion for compensation, and created the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) to manage payments. Compensation amounts vary by severity:
- HIV-infected individuals: £2.2–2.6 million
- Chronic hepatitis C: £665,000–£810,000
- Partners of living victims: ~£110,000
- Children: ~£55,000
Interim payments have been made to many victims, but delays and a lack of transparency have sparked anger among families and campaigners. As of May 2025, only 106 full payments have been completed, and the IBCA is now prioritising those with less than 12 months to live.
Due to the slow rollout, Sir Brian has reopened the inquiry, calling government officials to give evidence under oath. He cited “grave concerns” about the delay and stressed that “people infected and affected do not have time on their side.”