Question reference: S5W-19509
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 22 October 2018
-
Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 November 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its acceptance of the recommendations in the report, Clinical Review of the Impacts of Hepatitis C: Short Life Working Group Report for the Scottish Government, when it expects to provide payments to people affected by contaminated blood-borne viruses, including hepatitis C and HIV, and how much each claimant will be entitled to.
Answer
The Scottish Government already provides a range of payments to those infected with hepatitis c and/or HIV and their widows, widowers or partners through the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), as recommended by the Financial Review Group in 2015. Details of payments are as follows:
- Individuals with advanced hepatitis c (HCV) or HIV – annual payments of £27,000 per year plus a £70,000 lump sum payment for new applicants.
- Individuals infected with both HCV and HIV – annual payments of £37,000 per year plus a £70,000 lump sum payment for new applicants.
- Widows, widowers, civil partners and other long-term cohabiting partners of those who had advanced HCV and/or HIV who have died – annual payments of 100% of the amount their spouse or partner would have been eligible to receive if they were still alive for the first twelve months after the death of the infected person and then 75% in subsequent years.
- Individuals with chronic HCV receive a lump sum of £50,000 for new applicants. In light of the recommendations of the Clinical Review, they will also be eligible for an annual payment if they self-assess themselves as either severely or moderately affected by HCV. The levels of these new annual payments will be confirmed following the initial deadline of 5 November for individuals to return their application forms.
In addition, there are also Support and Assistance grants payments available to those who are infected and their widows, widowers and partners, particularly for those on lower incomes.