Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total amount of payment is through the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme; and how much has been paid in each year for which figures are available.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme provides a one-off, tax-free payment of £120,000 to claimants who have been found, in rare cases and on the balance of probabilities, to have been severely disabled, 60% or more, by certain vaccines for a disease listed in the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979.
The following table shows the payments made through the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme since 2021/22, when NHS Business Services Authority took over the administration of the scheme, to 2025/26:
Year | Total amount paid |
2021/22 | £240,000 |
2022/23 | £8,640,000 |
2023/24 | £11,880,000 |
2024/25 | £6,480,000 |
2025/26 | £2,160,000 |
Total | £29,400,000 |
Note: data for 2025/26 is as of the end of September 2025, as this is the latest data available.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for damage caused by covid-19 vaccines were received between 1 April and 30 September 2025; how many awards were made to claimants in that period; how many claims were rejected (a) through lack of causation and (b) because they were below the disability threshold; how many claims remained outstanding on 30 September 2025; and how many of those claims have been outstanding for over 12 months.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My deepest sympathies are with those who have experienced harm following vaccination and to their families.
Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrator of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that during the period of 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025:
As of 30 September 2025, there were 4,882 total COVID-19 claims that were unresolved, 1,672 of which had been so for over 12 months. Information on COVID-19 claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is published on a quarterly basis by the NHS Business Service Authority. Further information is available at the following link:
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19
I recognise many of the concerns that have been raised regarding the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. This input will shape our ongoing consideration of reforms to the scheme and I will keep Parliament updated, as appropriate.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 33850 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, how many of the 69 cases referred to the First-Tier Tribunal were (a) successful and (b) rejected; and how many have been outstanding for more than (i) three and (ii) six months.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), which administers the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that of the 69 claims identified in Question 33850:
Appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal are managed by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and therefore the NHSBSA must follow the directions and timescales specified by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The data is based on the date the HM Courts and Tribunals Service notified the NHSBSA of an appeal. The NHSBSA is not always provided the date the appellant made the appeal application to the HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Secondary Care on 3 September 2025, Official Report, column 107WH, whether the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health plans to meet the hon. Member for Christchurch.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This is an issue that the Government takes very seriously. A meeting has been scheduled with the hon. Member for Christchurch.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 34608 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Appeals, whether past tribunal decisions are used to support assessments.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) appeal cases are overseen by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and processed through the First-tier Tribunal. Upon conclusion of an appeal, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) receives a Statement of Reasons from the presiding judge. This document is reviewed by NHSBSA and used to inform and support continuous improvement initiatives within the organisation.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support (a) people injured by vaccination and (b) families affected by vaccine-related deaths.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the very rare event where someone may have suffered a severe adverse reaction to a vaccine, care and treatment will be best met and managed by local National Health Service specialist services, augmented as appropriate by national specialist advice. Individuals will be treated and managed through existing healthcare services, with treatment dependent on the individual’s clinical needs.
Individuals can also apply to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) which provides a one-off, tax-free payment of £120,000 to claimants who have been found, on the balance of probabilities, to have been severely disabled as a result of vaccinations against certain diseases listed in the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979.
Outside of the VDPS, other government support remains available for those with a disability or long-term health condition, including Statutory Sick Pay, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Attendance Allowance, and Personal Independence Payments. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/disability
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the (a) scope, (b) eligibility, (c) criteria and (d) compensation level of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I would like to reiterate my profound sympathies to all those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.
Ministers continue to consider options for reforming the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS).
In parallel, the Department continues to work with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the VDPS, to take further steps to improve the scheme, including through processing claims at a faster rate.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme were successful at (a) first application and (b) appeal since 2020.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Between 1 January 2020 and 6 June 2025, data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the scheme, shows that 205 claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme were successful at a first application. This equates to 1.5% of the claims that had received an initial outcome.
In the same time period, 29 mandatory reversal requests were successful. This equates to 2.1% of the reversal outcomes that had been notified to claimants.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of applications to the vaccine damage payment scheme since 2020 have been successful on appeal,by vaccine type.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), shows that 22,408 VDPS claims were received between 1 November 2021 and 4 July 2025. 1.1% of these have been successful, with a further 0.1% having been successful following an appeal, known as a mandatory reversal. Of the claims received:
These figures are based on total applications received. Some of these applications will not yet have been assessed or were invalid.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of applications to the vaccine damage payment scheme since 2020 have been successful, by vaccine type.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), shows that 22,408 VDPS claims were received between 1 November 2021 and 4 July 2025. 1.1% of these have been successful, with a further 0.1% having been successful following an appeal, known as a mandatory reversal. Of the claims received:
These figures are based on total applications received. Some of these applications will not yet have been assessed or were invalid.