Correspondence

IBCA Community Update, December 2025

Published 11 December 2025

Introduction

Hello and welcome to your community update. 

In this newsletter we cover:

• Update on deceased infected and affected people’s claims
• Latest numbers for claims and registration
• Community panel update    
• A reminder to register your intent to claim
• Our Glasgow drop-in session 
• Your questions

Thank you as always for your feedback and questions which we use to regularly improve this update. Please do get in touch by email ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk or on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter).

Claims update

Opening the service to deceased infected and affected claims 

We have now opened the service to the first claims for those claiming on behalf of a deceased infected person, and for those who are affected. We will start by bringing in around 15 people for each group to begin with.

We are starting with small numbers as we have done when opening the claim service to all other groups. This approach means we can learn as we go, then open to more people as the service is built around your needs.

These first claims have been prioritised based on information people have given to IBCA when registering their intent to claim.

We have prioritised these based on recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry, bringing in claims first for those who are nearing the end of their lives, then those over 75, and then further by age with the oldest first.

We will contact these people this week to start their claim. This will come by email or letter, depending on what people told us they prefer when they registered. 

Christmas can feel different for everyone, and we know it can be a difficult time, especially if you’ve lost someone. If we contact you to start your claim, you can start at a time that’s right for you. 

After this week, we don’t expect to bring in more claims in December (unless we receive a new registration for an end of life claim, which we will of course prioritise). The next claims will begin in the New Year.

If you have any questions over the next few weeks, please get in touch through the contact us page on our website, or contact your claim manager directly for your existing claim.

Other information

Our latest compensation figures

These are our latest figures as of 2 December 2025.

People asked to begin compensation claims:

• a total of 3,677 people have been asked to start their claim
• of this number, 3,473 have started the claim process.

Compensation offers:

• 2,867 people have received an offer
• the total value of offers made is £2,271,202,249.22.

People paid:

• a total of 2,564 people have had their compensation paid
• a total of £1,711,950,838.40 has been paid to people.

We’ve now opened the service to the first claims for living infected people who have never been compensated, those representing a deceased infected person and those who are affected. Because these are the first claims from these groups, the number of new claims will start small, and then we’ll grow these numbers in the new year. 

If you’re an infected person registered with a support scheme and haven’t been asked to start your claim by IBCA yet, please get in touch by calling 0141 726 2397, emailing ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk, or writing to PO Box 384, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE98 1XY.

Publishing our next compensation figures

We usually publish these figures every 2 weeks. Due to bank holidays, our next publications will be on 18 Dec and then on 15 January.

Based on community feedback asking for more detail on registration figures, we aim to include a breakdown of numbers registered from each group on 15 January.

Registration for those intending to claim

IBCA opened the register your intent to claim service on 9 October. Since then, we’ve received 13,933 registrations of intent to make a compensation claim with us.

This figure represents individual registrations, not unique people or claims. This is because some people may have registered more than once for different types of claim.

If you or someone you know has not yet registered your intent to claim but you believe you might be eligible for compensation, please register now on our website: ibca.org.uk/register.

You can register if you are: an infected person, affected person, both an infected and affected person or acting on behalf of a deceased infected person.

The order in which we contact people to make their claims will follow the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry (available at www.infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk). When you register, we’ll ask you about any circumstances that may mean your claim should be prioritised (for example if you are sadly nearing the end of your life, or are over a certain age).

Registration does not guarantee you’re eligible for compensation and is not the start of your claim. However, it means we’ll have your details for when we are able to start your claim.

We will contact you when the service is ready for you to start your claim. You can read the full guidance on eligibility and compensation amounts on our website at ibca.org.uk.

Update on IBCA drop-in sessions 

We are hosting our first informal drop-in session in Glasgow on 20 January 2026. This is part of a series of events we plan to hold in communities across the UK.

Members of the infected blood community told us that they would value speaking to us in person (as well as using our digital and phone services). These sessions are a chance to meet the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) team and speak to us informally.

You can ask us questions about the compensation scheme or simply meet IBCA staff face-to-face.

How to register for the drop-in

You can register for the event online and choose a time slot that suits you best.

We’ll then send you an email to confirm your time slot shortly after you register, and city centre venue details will follow two weeks before the event.

Recruiting our community panel

In October, we opened recruitment for our Community Advisory Panel. The panel will be made up of those with lived experience of the infected blood scandal and will provide the IBCA Board with independent, experience-led advice and guidance.

Thank you to everyone who applied to be part of the panel. We will contact all applicants in December, and share the confirmed panel appointments in January.

Your questions 

Q: What will happen to those who newly register as nearing the end of their life, or report this as a change in circumstances?

Those sadly nearing the end of life will be prioritised in line with the Inquiry’s recommendations. Anyone who registers for the first time as nearing the end of their life, or whose circumstances change to become end of life, will be brought into the service as soon as possible.

If your circumstances change and you need to make us aware that your registration details should be updated, please call us on 0141 471 8886 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 4pm).

Q: If I have registered for interim estates payments - does this mean I have already registered my intent to claim with IBCA as well?

No, you still need to register with IBCA on our website. Interim estates payments will not be made by IBCA - they are made through the Infected Blood Support Schemes that managed previous interim payments.

To register your intent to claim with IBCA please visit our website.

To learn more about further interim compensation payments for estates, including eligibility and how to apply, visit gov.uk.

Q: I have started my claim for an interim payment - if I am asked to start my claim with IBCA, do I need to continue with the interim payment process?

This is your choice and you are entitled to do both (an interim payment will be deducted from a full compensation claim). Your IBCA claim manager will discuss options with you when you are asked to start your claim. 

Q: What documentation do I need, to show IBCA that I am the personal representative for a deceased infected person?

To make a claim on behalf of a deceased infected person, you will need to provide a grant of representation (often known as probate). This is one of the following:

• A grant of probate (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
• Letters of administration (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
• Confirmation (in Scotland).

If you’re named as an executor but don’t yet have these documents, you’ll need to apply for them.

Alternative formats 

We understand that some people may need documents in different formats. If you would like to receive your community update newsletter in large print, another language, or another format please let us know by calling 0141 726 2397, emailing ibcaenquiries@ibca.org.uk, or writing to PO Box 384, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE98 1XY.

Protecting you from fraud

We’re putting 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 us, call us on 0141 726 2397 or email fraud@ibca.org.uk.

If you think someone has defrauded you:

• Report it online at Action 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: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/.

Find us online

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

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