The Infected Blood Inquiry is resuming hearings today, for two days, to investigate the government’s response to the Inquiry’s recommendations for psychological support and compensation

Steven Snowden KC and Dr Achas Burin of 12 King’s Bench Walk, along with Brian Cummins of Old Square Chambers, represent over 1,000 individuals participating in the inquiry. Counsel are instructed by Ben Harrison of Milners Solicitors and Des Collins and Danielle Holliday of Collins Solicitors.

The Inquiry set out its full and final recommendations for compensation in a report dated April 2023, suggesting that time was of the essence for living infected patients and/or their bereaved loved ones who had waited decades for justice, often in ill-health. However, the government of the day responded that compensation would not be paid until the Chair’s final report.

The final report was delivered on 20 May 2024, almost exactly a year to the day today. The Prime Minister accepted, in a speech given on the same day, that comprehensive compensation would be paid. However, an announcement of a general election followed merely two days later.

On 4 July 2024, the general election delivered a new government. Two sets of Regulations followed, the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations of 2024 which were then revoked and replaced by the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025.

The BBC reported, as at 24 April 2025, that payment had been made to only 77 claimants. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (‘IBCA’) has adopted a system of assessing claims only by invitation, which is a topic to be considered during the May hearings. Invitation does not guarantee acceptance of the claim, and the Inquiry will also consider the criteria being applied by IBCA.

A further issue to be covered is the length of time it has taken to get this far, given that the government commissioned a report from Sir Robert Francis as early as 2021 – which was completed in 2022 and formed the basis of the eventual recommendations made by Sir Brian Langstaff in the Inquiry’s report of 2023.

Sir Brian’s interim report also recommended that bespoke psychology services be provided in England to match similar schemes in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland; these have yet to be fully operational. The Inquiry has published a fuller chronology of events.

As an article on Lexology comments, it will be interesting to follow the course of these hearings as part of an ongoing national conversation as to the efficacy of, and implementation of, Public Inquiry recommendations.

The resumption of the Inquiry has been widely reported across the media including the BBC here and here.