FOI-01090

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      <span class="nhsuk-u-visually-hidden">Important: </span>
      2026-01-16: Correction identified in Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme data    </span>
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  <p>An error has been identified in the underlying dataset used to produce this Freedom of Information (FOI) response. The issue relates to the metric “cumulative total of awarded claims to bereaved claimants” within Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) COVID-19 claim volumes and outcomes data.</p> 

  <p>The error has since been corrected in the published VDPS datasets. However, the data contained within this FOI response has not been retrospectively updated, as FOI responses reflect the information held at the time of disclosure.</p>
  <p>We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and recommend that users refer to the amended datasets for the most accurate and up-to-date figures:</p>
<p><a href="https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-non-covid-19">https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-non-covid-19</a></p>
<p><a href="https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19">https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19</a></p>
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Thank you for your request for information about the following: 

‘Dear NHS Business Services Authority, 

1) How many claims have been made to the VDPS due to an adverse reaction to a covid vaccine to date? 

2)How many claimants have been notified of an outcome? 

3)How many claims have been successful? 

4)How many claims have been rejected / unsuccessful? 

5)What are the reasons for claims being rejected (causation, not meeting 60% threshold, ineligible to claim.) Please provide numbers? 

6) Is it possible to give the conditions that have met the criteria e.g VITT, GBS?.’ 

7) How many claims have been waiting over 12 months, 18 months for a decision? 

8) How many of the successful claims involved a fatality? 

9) How many requests for a mandatory reversal have been received?’ 

Your request was received on 11 April 2023 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 

##Response 

All data as of 24 April 2023. All data relates to claims received by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) and those transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 1 November 2021. All figures provided below relate to COVID-19 vaccinations. 

Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data. 

##Question 1 

4,914 claims have been received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). 

##Question 2 

1,482 have been notified of an outcome. 

##Question 3 

78 claimants have been notified they are entitled to a Vaccine Damage Payment. 

##Question 4 

1,404 have been rejected and a further 78 did not meet the criteria for medical assessment. 

##Question 5  

1,304 claims have been rejected where causation was not accepted, 100 claims have been rejected where causation was accepted but disablement assessed at less than 60% 

##Question 6 

Conditions of the 78 claims awarded a Vaccine Damage Payment as of 24 April 2023: 

VITT/Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis:  

38 

Guillain-Barre Syndrome: 

19 

Other (including Bilateral sequential optic neuropathy, Vaccine-induced vasculitis, Severe bleed on the brain, bacterial pneumonia, immune response to vaccine, inflammation of lungs, Cause of death - acute allergic reaction, multiple organ failure, subarachnoid haemorrhage, pneumonia, death 

Multiple blood clots throughout the body, Neuromyelitis optica and transverse myelitis, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Mental health affected): 

21 

##Question 7 

561 claims were received more than 12 months ago and have not yet reached an outcome. Of these 561 claims, 156 claims were received more than 18 months ago and have not yet reached an outcome. 

As part of the process of the scheme, we need a full set of medical records for each claimant, and it can take time for the claimant’s healthcare providers to gather and securely supply copies of these records. 

Once sent for assessment, the time it takes for the independent medical assessor to review a claim can vary from case to case depending on the individual circumstances of each claim. 

##Question 8 

32 of the claims where an award outcome has been communicated were made on behalf of someone who has died. 

##Question 9 

123 requests for a mandatory reversal have been received.   

##Data Queries 

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data please contact nhsbsa.foirequests@nhs.net ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented. 

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact nhsbsa.communicationsteam@nhs.net. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented. 

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at: 

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/  

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: 

“NHSBSA Copyright 2022” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence: 

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/  

Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence. 

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated.  Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information. 

Tags: VDPS, Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log