Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of a compensation scheme for people adversely affected by Covid-19 vaccinations.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I would like to reiterate my deepest sympathies to all those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.
The long-standing Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) 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 by certain vaccines for a disease listed in the Vaccine Damage Payment Act 1979. The VDPS is not designed to be a compensation scheme and does not prejudice the right of the individual to pursue a claim for damages through the courts.
The Government recognises that concerns have been raised regarding the VDPS, including by some of those who have suffered harm following COVID-19 vaccination. Ministers continue to consider options for reforming the scheme.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his Department taking to support people (a) injured or (b) bereaved by AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccinations, including those with vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis.
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 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: 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, whether his Department's Vaccine Damage Payment Unit is still in operation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) 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 by certain vaccines for a disease listed in the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979.
Responsibility for the operation of the VDPS transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions to the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 November 2021. Since then, the NHS Business Services Authority has administered the VDPS on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care, which retains responsibility for the policy and legislation governing the scheme.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83545 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, if he will publish a version of the table provided for the years prior to 2021-22.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not held by the Department of Health and Social Care as the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme was administered by the Department for Work and Pensions until 2021.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 help reduce waiting times for decisions on applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is working with NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), to process claims at a faster rate. We have scaled up and modernised VDPS operations through the digitisation of the claims process and increasing administration staff working on the VDPS. NHSBSA is also engaging with healthcare providers to improve the return rate of medical records, essential to assessing claims, including though submitting subject access requests.
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.