Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer to Question 88622 of 10 December 2021, when the NHS Business Services Authority review of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme's processes will be complete; on what date he expects the first claims to be resolved; and whether the review will also consider the appropriateness of the current maximum payment of £120,000 under the Scheme which has not been increased since 1979.

Since taking over the management of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) in November 2021, the NHS Business Services Authority has endeavoured to make the process as smooth as possible for claimants, an open-ended project to improve the service continuously.

Claims are medically assessed on a case-by-case basis, on average taking approximately six months to investigate and process from the date the NHS Business Services Authority request a claimant’s medical records. Claims relating to COVID-19 vaccines are taking longer to investigate due to establishing a causal relationship between vaccines and their purported side effects. The NHS Business Services Authority will write to claimants when there is an update.

The VDPS payment value has increased over time, from the original value of £10,000 in 1979 to the current level of £120,000.