Running costs of vaccine damage scheme more than double amount paid to victims
Summary
The UK government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, which helps people injured by Covid vaccines, has spent £83 million on running costs since April 2022—more than twice the £32 million paid to vaccine injury victims. Most claims are linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, but only a small number of claims have been successful.Key Facts
- The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) started in 1979 to aid people harmed by vaccines.
- Since November 2021, there have been 24,260 claims related to Covid vaccine injuries.
- Only 264 of these claims have been successful.
- Total running costs (staff, administration, medical assessments) from April 2022 to March 2026 reached £83 million.
- Payments made to victims total about £31.6 million as of June 2026.
- Medical assessment costs have risen from £4.3 million in 2022/23 to £19.3 million in 2025/26.
- Claimants must prove they have "severe disablement" to qualify for a one-time payment of £120,000.
- The scheme is criticized for being slow and inefficient, and there are calls to reform it based on a Covid inquiry’s recommendations.
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