Correspondence

IBCA Community Update, 8 October 2026 (HTML)

Published 8 October 2026

Hello, and welcome to your community update. In this update, you can find out what’s happening with compensation claims, who we’re contacting, and whether there is anything you need to do. We’ll also share news about us, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).

We usually send this update once a month. Sometimes, we’ll send an extra one if there’s important news to share straight away.

If you want more background on the compensation scheme or how to claim, you can visit our website.

This update includes:

• update on compensation claims and how we are working through groups
• what the fourth regulations mean for your claim
• an update on the transfer of Infected Blood Support Schemes
• how to sign up for a community drop-in
• how we decide claims when information is unclear
• when someone has more than one claim
• grant of probate or confirmation and your claim
• IBCA’s business plan for 2026 to 2027
• IBCA’s Annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026
• thank you from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee
• your questions.

Thank you for your feedback and questions. They help us improve this update. 

Please do not reply directly to this email. You can get in touch by emailing ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk or on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter).

Update on compensation claims and how we are working through groups

These figures show that since our last publication on 27 August, a further 830 people have been asked to start their claim. This includes:

• 493 people acting on behalf of a deceased infected person
• 127 living infected people who have never been compensated
• 207 affected people.

See all of our latest compensation figures on our website. 

We publish our latest figures on the second Thursday of every month. Our next publication will be on 12 November and will include data for the whole of October.

How we’re working through claims 

We recognise how important it is for you to see how claims are progressing, and to understand how we are working through each group. Within each group and for each new claim, we follow the prioritisation approach recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry. 

Because people continue to register claims, the number of claims in each group can change between updates.

Living infected claims

We have now asked every living infected person who registered with us by the end of September to start their claim. 

If you think you have a living infected registration with us but haven’t heard from us, please get in touch. You can find out how to contact us on our website

Deceased infected claims

We’ve started over half of all known deceased infected claims. We continue to invite those in higher priority groups who have registered since mid-August. We’ll ask all remaining deceased infected claims to start before 31 March 2027.

Living affected claims 

We have started all end of life claims and have started to bring those aged over 75 into the service.

What the fourth regulations mean for your claim

The fourth set of regulations for the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme became law on 24 July 2026. We implemented these new rules into our service on 1 October.

This means that when you’re brought into the service to start your claim, we’ll automatically apply the amended rules to your claim. You do not need to do anything right now. Your claim manager will talk you through any additional information we might need from you and explain the next steps.

If you already have a claim in progress, we’ll also automatically apply the updated rules. Your claim manager will explain your options and what information we may need.

If you have received a compensation payment before 1 October 2026, we’ll review your claim. You do not need to do anything right now. We will contact you directly when we’re ready to do so. 

First, we’ll check your claim against the information we currently hold. We’ll then write to you to tell you if the information shows you’re impacted by the changes, or if we need more information from you. If we need more information, you’ll have the opportunity to provide it at this point. 

As set out in our Business Plan, we will complete the bulk of updates to previously paid core infected claims related to these new rules by the end of March 2027.

At this stage, the fourth regulations only apply to core awards. We’re getting things ready so we can start work on supplementary claims. We’ll build these changes into the service and update you when this happens.

As a reminder, the Compensation Scheme has two routes for awarding compensation: the core route and the supplementary route. Everyone who is eligible for the Scheme will receive compensation through the core route.

In some cases, after core compensation has been awarded, people may be eligible to receive additional compensation through the supplementary route. 

For more information watch our service update video or read our news story.

A note on issues with our calculator 

On 1 October we made an update to our calculator. This caused an issue that stopped some people from accessing the calculator through our website. We were made aware of the issue and quickly fixed the problem. We restored normal access on Monday 5 October. 

If you tried to use the calculator during this time and could not, you can now use it as normal. We are sorry for any inconvenience this caused, and we would like to thank everyone who told us about the problem.

Our technical logs show that the compensation estimates generated while some people were unable to access it through our website are accurate for all those not in receipt of support scheme payments.

We have now updated the calculator to include past and future financial loss calculations for those making a living infected compensation claim. So this means that the calculator will now also provide an accurate estimate for those who have received support scheme payments.

It is important to remember that the calculator will only give you an estimate of the compensation you may be entitled to, and it does not give you a compensation award. 

We know some people are worried the calculator may have given incorrect estimates for interferon uplift across multiple treatment rounds. Thank you for raising this with us. We have looked into it carefully, and we can confirm that all calculations, including those for interferon, are now working correctly.

An update on the transfer of Infected Blood Support Schemes

Early next year, the four Infected Blood Support Schemes (IBSS) in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will close. Responsibility for making support payments will transfer from the IBSS to IBCA from the following dates in early 2027:

• Wales Infected Blood Support Scheme: 15 January 2027
• Scotland Infected Blood Support Scheme: 1 February 2027
• Infected Blood Payment Scheme for Northern Ireland: 1 February 2027
• England Infected Blood Support Scheme: 23 March 2027.

Your Infected Blood Support Scheme will continue to manage your support payments until the schemes close early next year. 

You do not need to do anything - your payments will continue without interruption, and we will write to you ahead of the transfer to explain exactly what is happening and what it means for you.

Support schemes are separate from the compensation scheme. If you intend to make a claim with IBCA, you still need to register your intent. This applies even if you’re already registered with a support scheme. When you make your claim, we will link your registration with the information your support scheme holds.

For more information, visit our IBSS transition hub.

How to sign up for a community drop-in

We’re planning more drop-in events across the UK where you can meet our team in person.

You can ask questions about how we process claims, what documents you may need, get support from our IDV team on identity verification or just meet some of our team. However, we won’t be able to discuss open claims. 

Upcoming drop-in sessions:

• Brighton: 15 October, register for Brighton 
• Cambridge: 12 November, register for Cambridge   
• Derry/Londonderry: 28 January, register for Derry/Londonderry.

You can register online and choose an arrival time that suits you. We’ll then send you an email to confirm your registration. Two weeks before the event we’ll send you joining instructions and venue details. 

If none of these dates or locations works for you, we’re already planning more drop-ins for early 2027, including in Edinburgh, York, Wrexham and Plymouth. Exact dates will follow, and registration for each drop-in opens at least four weeks beforehand. 

We’ll keep you updated about future events on our social media channels, in this update and through the community drop-in section of our website.

How we decide claims when information is unclear 

Sometimes a claim manager may not be able to find enough information to support a claim. For example, there may not be a medical record that shows how a person was infected, or sometimes there is conflicting information. If this happens, your claim manager will explain this to you and ask if there is any other information you can provide.

If information is missing or incomplete, we’ll do everything we can to find it from other sources. We’ll take into account everything available, including what you tell us.
Details of a person’s private life, for example a history of intravenous drug use or being born overseas, will never mean that they automatically do not meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria. We will always consider claims fairly and without judgement.

Claim managers then look at everything together and decide whether it’s more likely than not that the person is eligible. We call this a ‘balance of probabilities’ approach. 

We have teams of experts from Policy, Legal, Data, Quality and Claimant Services who meet weekly to support claims that need additional assurance. This group, called the Evidence Advisory Group, helps claim managers decide more quickly by advising on next steps when information is missing or unclear.

For infected claims, an eligible decision means the claim manager thinks it’s more likely than not that the person:

• has or had an eligible infection of HIV, hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis B or died from acute liver failure caused by hepatitis B within 12 months of infection
• was infected through blood, blood products or tissue, and
• was infected during NHS or Armed Forces treatment during the relevant period.

Find more information about eligibility on our website. 

In arriving at their decision, the claim manager will fairly consider the information provided and:

• check to see if there is information that supports eligibility
• check to see if there is information that does not support eligibility
• make a balance of probabilities decision based on the most likely outcome.

For affected claims, we can use a range of information from the time as well as witness testimony to support any gaps in information. Claim managers then look at the full picture to make a balance of probabilities decision.

The regulations governing the compensation scheme state that the person making a claim is responsible for proving any matters regarding their claim. In some cases, there may not be enough information for IBCA to make a balance of probabilities decision that can support a person’s eligibility to receive compensation.

When someone has more than one claim 

We’ve improved how we work with people claiming compensation. Where someone has more than one claim with us, we’ll process all of their personal claims at the same time, rather than completing one claim before starting another. For example, if someone is both an infected person and an affected person, we’ll handle both claims together.

We take this approach because we know that many people have already had to share deeply painful experiences many times throughout their lives. Our aim is to reduce how often they need to repeat their story. 

Where someone has more than one claim, their claim managers will work closely together and agree on a single point of contact, so they only need to talk to one person throughout the process.

This approach is about one individual and their own claims. It does not extend to the claims of their family members or anyone acting as a representative on their behalf (unless the legal representative is also the eldest beneficiary on a deceased infected claim). This is to make sure we continue to follow the prioritisation criteria recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry. 

This is our current approach, and it may change as we learn more about these types of claims.

Grant of probate or Confirmation and your claim 

If you’ve registered to make a compensation claim on behalf of someone who has sadly died, you’ll need to have a valid UK grant of representation before you can begin your claim. 

This means you will hold:

• Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland;
• Grant of Confirmation in Scotland.

Around one in five claims do not progress as quickly because a valid grant of representation is not in place when starting a claim. Having this in place from the beginning can make a real difference, as we cannot progress your claim without it.

If your claim is eligible for compensation, we may cover up to £1,500 towards the legal costs of getting probate or confirmation.  

We know the process for Grant of Probate, or Confirmation, can feel difficult. To help you, we’ve put together a short video explaining what this is, why we need it, and how to apply, plus information on how your application can be processed quicker.

Watch this video on our YouTube channel. We have also updated our website with further guidance.

This video will also help you if you’ve registered your intent to make a claim on behalf of an affected person who sadly died after 21 May 2024. You’ll also need a grant of representation once we open the service to this group.

IBCA’s Business Plan for 2026 to 2027

Our Business Plan for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 is now on our website. The plan explains how we aim to compensate every eligible person as quickly as possible, with integrity and care. 

It is structured around four pillars: how we pay people the compensation they’re due, how we listen to and act on what the community tells us, how we develop our organisational effectiveness, and how we plan for the future.

Read our Business Plan for 2026 to 2027.

IBCA’s Annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026

Our Annual report and accounts for the year ending 31 March 2026 have now been laid in Parliament and published online.  This report includes our performance report, our accountability report, and our financial statements. 

Read IBCA’s Annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026

Thank you from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has now published its report on its inquiry into Compensation and Financial Recognition Schemes. 

Survey responses played an important part in shaping the Committee’s findings and recommendations. You can read insights from scheme users in the report’s annex (pages 25 to 33).

Read the report on the UK Parliament website

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, personally thanked everyone who took part in the survey that informed this report. 

Read the letter of thanks

Your questions

I’ve registered my intent to claim. When will I hear from you about my claim starting?

We know waiting is hard, and that many of you have been waiting a long time. We can’t give you an exact date. We’re building our claim service and opening it to more people as we go.
We wrote to everyone with an active email address in September.  This letter confirmed that we have your registration and that it’s held safely. It also set out more about what happens next.
From October, we expect to start many more claims from people who are affected. 

When we’re ready to start your claim, we’ll contact you. We’ll use the way you asked us to contact you when you registered. This could be by phone, email or letter.

You don’t need to register again. If your contact details or circumstances change, please call us on 0141 471 8886. Our lines are open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm, except bank holidays.

We’ll keep sharing updates on our website and in these community updates. 

How can I be certain I have registered my intent to claim?

If you have your 8-digit unique registration number, then your details are securely stored within our system, and a claim manager will contact you directly as we approach you in the order of prioritisation. 

If you don’t have that number for any reason and want to be certain you have registered, please email ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk or call us on 0141 471 8886 and we’ll be happy to check for you.

I don’t have a smartphone or an email address. How can I prove who I am? 

When we’re ready to start your claim, we’ll ask you to confirm who you are. Most people do this online with GOV.UK One Login. It’s quick, but we know it doesn’t work for everyone.

If you can’t use GOV.UK One Login, there are other ways to confirm who you are. Your claim manager will arrange this with you. Just let them know you need help.

You can also ask someone you trust to help you. This could be a family member, a friend, a carer or someone with power of attorney. There’s guidance on how to help someone use GOV.UK One Login. 

The GOV.UK One Login team can also help by phone, webchat or email. You can find their details on the GOV.UK One Login contact page. 

Useful content on our website 

• Latest compensation figures
• Compensation calculator
• Register your intent to claim
• Latest news
• Preparing to make a claim

Legal support is available when you claim

Some people have told us they’ve been contacted by solicitors offering ‘no win, no fee’ deals or Conditional Fee Agreements about their IBCA claim.

We know some people may feel under pressure to sign legal agreements quickly. You should never feel rushed into making a decision about your claim or legal representation. If anyone encourages you to sign something you don’t fully understand, or asks you for money about an IBCA claim, please get independent advice or contact us.

If you are worried that someone may be pressuring or taking advantage of you in relation to your claim, please let our safeguarding team know by emailing safeguarding@ibca.org.uk.
Before making any decisions, there are a few important things to know:

• legal support is available, paid for by IBCA and completely independent of us
• you do not need a solicitor to register or make a compensation claim. If you would like legal support, IBCA can arrange this for you at no cost when your claim begins
• ‘no win, no fee’ or Conditional Fee Agreements, often advertised by other legal firms, may deduct costs from your compensation award - we are aware of cases where significant amounts have been charged to those who have made a claim 
• registering with IBCA is free and straightforward - you can do it yourself, with support from our team, or with someone you trust.

We can arrange legal support when a claim begins, through six independent legal firms who offer impartial advice at no cost to you. If you want to use a different firm, we can discuss this with you.

Protecting you from fraud

We have systems in place to prevent, spot and deal with fraud. If you get a suspicious message or phone call and want to check if it’s really from IBCA, call us on 0141 726 2397 or email fraud@ibca.org.uk.

If you think someone has defrauded you:

• report it online at Report Fraud or call 0300 123 2040
• in Scotland, call the police on 101
• tell your bank straight away.

If you’re worried about fraud, you can find more information on the Stop! Think Fraud website: stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk.

Recognising genuine return envelopes from IBCA

Have you asked us to contact you by post? We’ve heard some people have been concerned about whether the address label we provide for you to return information is genuine. 

To help you recognise IBCA return envelopes, you’ll now see a small “FREEPOST IBCOM” label on your return envelope instead of a Royal Mail sticker.

Please use it to return your forms at no cost to you.

Alternative formats

Do you need this newsletter in a different format? We can provide large print, another language, or other formats. Let us know by:

• calling 0141 726 2397
• emailing ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk
• writing to PO Box 384, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE98 1XY.

Find us online

For more information and latest updates from IBCA, you can find us online:

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