Covid vaccine compensation scheme set for overhaul after Inquiry criticism

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   Covid vaccine compensation scheme set for overhaul after Inquiry criticism

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 16, 2026Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “More than 24,000 Covid vaccine-harm claims have been made - most relating to the AstraZeneca jab The government has committed to reform of the scheme that provides financial support for those injured or bereaved by vaccines. It was a key recommendation of the UK Covid Inquiry, and has been a focus for campaigners. One campaign group has welcomed the recognition that vaccine injury and bereavement is real and that the current scheme is not fit for purpose. But it says it wants a clear commitment to action by ministers, rather than simply saying they will look further at what needs to be done. The benefits of vaccination are well documented. The AstraZeneca Covid jab is credited with saving millions of lives worldwide. But some people have experienced harm. In her fourth report, the chair of the Covid Inquiry, Baroness Hallett, called for better support for those affected. She said while this was a minority, the way they are supported needed urgent reform. More than 24,000 people have made Covid-related claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), a form of financial support paid by the government, but just over 1% have resulted in one-off tax-free awards of £120,000. The report called for "urgent" reform of the scheme, saying that it is "not sufficiently supportive". It said the current system, in which those affected must show they have been at least "60% disabled", does not work effectively for Covid vaccines.”

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   Vaccine Damage Payment (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaChecked Oct 20, 2026

   “The Vaccine Damage Payment is a provision of the welfare state in the United Kingdom that provides a payment of £120,000, as of 2023, for people who can show that they have suffered a vaccine injury. The payment can also be applied for on behalf of someone who has died after becoming severely disabled because of certain vaccinations. Vaccine Damage Payments are not a compensation scheme, which means that legal action to claim compensation can also be taken, even if a Vaccine Damage Payment has been received.”

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   COVID-19 Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Lessons Learned From a Review of 10 Implementing Countries.

   Journal of Korean medical science (Kang et al.)Published Apr 8, 2024Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “This article reviewed the Vaccine Injury Compensation Programs in 10 major countries to present implications for improving the Korean system. Expanding the scope of national accountability is essential to compensate for the consequences of adhering to national policies during public health crises. Therefore, valuable insight can be obtained from examining the systems in Germany, Japan, and Taiwan, which have implemented more relaxed criteria for determining causality in compensation cases; Thailand's system, which provides the mandatory payment of preliminary compensation for damage caused by vaccination; systems in Germany, France, and Japan, which offer compensation for vaccine injuries from a practical perspective; and systems in France and the United Kingdom, which have a process allowing the assessment records to be shared with the claimants. Furthermore, a dedicated agency for vaccine injury compensation, as seen in France, the United Kingdom, and Australia, is necessary to enhance the efficiency of the Korean system.”

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   No fault vaccine injury compensation after COVID-19: A systematic literature review and proposed typology.

   Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics (Halabi et al.)Published Feb 2, 2026Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a unique and rapid period of global vaccine innovation. It revealed structural challenges not only in global vaccine affordability and distribution but in the liability and indemnity structures that can both impede access and affect fair outcomes for the small number of people who suffer severe side effects. This review examines vaccine injury and compensation mechanisms, including no-fault compensation schemes, aimed at addressing both the liability and indemnity concerns of developers and the compensation due those suffering severe side effects. The ultimate aim of the review is to provide a classification of systems for those countries that are considering adopting NFCS as part of their broader public health readiness and preparedness strategies.”

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   Complex chronic adverse events following immunization: a systemic critique and reform proposal for vaccine pharmacovigilance.

   Therapeutic advances in drug safety (Kenny)Published Dec 24, 2025Checked Oct 20, 2026

   “CC-AEFIs are not syndromic diagnoses but a higher-order category encompassing persistent, multifactorial conditions that may follow immunization yet challenge existing pharmacovigilance definitions and tools. These conditions often involve multiple organ systems, delayed onset, fluctuating trajectories, diagnostic ambiguity, and symptom heterogeneity. Drawing on the author's lived experience as an affected patient and integrating clinical, regulatory, and experiential evidence, the analysis examines structural and epistemic limitations across the pharmacovigilance continuum-from underrecognition in clinical settings to analytic exclusion and constrained governance. It concludes by proposing reforms to strengthen safety-system responsiveness, including enhanced diagnostic training, longitudinal surveillance, patient-reported outcome integration, and analytic transparency. Addressing these limitations is essential to sustain public trust, ensure equitable care, and uphold the scientific integrity of immunization programs.”