Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme

Thank you for contacting me about the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. 

Let me begin by highlighting that any coronavirus vaccine that is approved has been through rigorous clinical trials and safety checks. I am proud that the UK has some of the highest safety standards in the world. So far, millions of people have been given a Covid-19 vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare. 

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) was established in 1979, to help ease the burden on those individuals where, on very rare occasions, vaccination against certain diseases has caused severe disablement. Covid-19 was added to the scheme in 2020.

The Scheme provides a one-off, tax-free, lump sum to those who are severely disabled as a result of a vaccination. The VDPS is not a compensation scheme. All claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme are clinically assessed on a case-by-case basis. I am unaware of any plans by the Government to expand the eligibility or support provided by the scheme, but I have ensured that ministers are aware of calls by some constituents for the scheme to expanded. 

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.