Vaccine Damage Payments

What is it?

A Vaccine Damage Payment is a one off payment for people who are severely disabled due to a vaccination against specific diseases.

Basic qualifying conditions

To qualify for a Vaccine Damage Payment, the person must be at least 60% mentally or physically disabled due to a vaccination against:

• Diptheria
• Tetanus
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Poliomyelitis
• Measles
• Rubella (German measles)
• Mumps
• Tuberculosis
• Meningococcal Group C (meningitis C)
• Haemophilus influenzae type B (hib)
• Pneumococcal infection
• Human Papillomavirus
• Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 (swine Flu) (vaccination up to 31 August 2010)
• Smallpox (vaccination up to August 1971)

Claims can also be made on the basis of:

• Combination vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) and for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• Close personal contact with a person who has been vaccinated against oral poliomyelitis
• The mother was vaccinated during pregnancy against one of the above diseases

The disabled person must also satisfy these conditions:

• Be 2 years old or more on the date of the claim
• Have been vaccinated in the Isle of Man or the UK, unless they or someone in their family was in the armed forces and vaccinated as part of the armed services medical facilities
• Vaccination must have been administered before the person's 18th birthday, unless it was against poliomyelitis, rubella (German measles), or meningococcal Group C, human papilloma virus or pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 (swine Flu); or during an outbreak of disease in the UK or the Isle of Man

How much could I get and how am I paid?

The scheme provides a tax-free lump sum of £120,000.

Payments are made to a trustee if the disabled person is:

• Under age 18, or
• Unable to manage their own affairs

If the disabled person lives with their family the parents may be appointed trustees.

Effect on other benefits

Your Vaccine Damage Payment can affect other benefits. The effect the payment will have depends on a number of things, including whether the payment is put into a trust and payments made from that trust. You should let your local Social Security office know if a Vaccine Damage Payment has been awarded.

How and when should I apply?

The claim must be made at any time before the person's 21st birthday, or, if they have died, the date on which they would have attained that age, or up to 6 years after the date of the vaccination, whichever date is later.

To request a Vaccine Damage Payment claim form, write to:

Lines are open from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and from 8.30am to 4.30pm on Friday. 

See downloadable documents for a claim form.