FOI-03325

<div class="nhsuk-warning-callout">
  <h3 class="nhsuk-warning-callout__label">
    <span role="text">
      <span class="nhsuk-u-visually-hidden">Important: </span>
      2026-01-16: Correction identified in Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme data    </span>
  </h3>
  
  <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>
</div>

Thank you for your request for information.

##Request##

In addition to information requested in FOI-03161, you asked us:

<p><i> ‘amount of claims paid out ,[and] how many bereavement</i></p>

<p><i>Can you please clarify how many claims have been paid out for </i></p>
<p><i>1 death </i></p>
<p><i>2 injuries’</i></p>

##Response##

<p><strong>Question 1 - amount of claims paid out
and</strong></p>
<p><strong>Question 2 - amount of claims paid for bereavement
and</strong></p>
<p><strong>Question 3 - amount of claims paid for non-bereavement</strong></p>

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds some of the information you have requested however, some of the information is exempt as it is already reasonably accessible to you under section 21 of the FOIA.

Please see the following link to view the section 21 in full:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/21

<p>We publish information on claims made to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) on the NHSBSA Open Data Portal (ODP) for COVID-19 vaccine and non-COVID-19 vaccine claims:</p>
<p>•	view COVID-19 vaccine VDPS claims data on the ODP at:
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19</p>
<p>•	view non-COVID-19 vaccine VDPS claims data on the ODP at:
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-non-covid-19</p>

This data shows:
<p>•	the cumulative total of awarded claims (question 1 of your request)</p>
<p>•	the cumulative total of awarded claims to bereaved claimants (question 2 of your request)</p>
<p>•	the difference between the two amounts mentioned above will also provide the cumulative total of awarded claims of which are not from bereaved claimants (question 3 of your request)</p>

The VDPS provides a one-off, tax-free payment, currently of £120,000, to successful applicants. As such, the amount awarded can be calculated by multiplying the number of awarded claims on the ODP by £120,000. 

Under the government’s rules for the VDPS, to qualify for a Vaccine Damage Payment, it must be proved that:
<p>•	an eligible vaccine was received</p>
<p>•	on the balance of probabilities, the vaccine caused the disability</p>
<p>•	the resulting disablement is classified as ‘severe’</p>

Severely disabled means at least 60% as defined by the principles for assessing the extent of disablement. These are set out in:
<p>•	Section 103 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992</p>
<p>•	Schedule 2 of the Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations 1982</p>

To protect confidentiality, cells are intentionally left blank where changes in numbers between publications are equal to or fewer than five. Please note that these cells would also be exempt under the FOIA and therefore we are unable to provide this information to you.

<strong>Fewer than five</strong>

The NHSBSA considers this information to be exempt because when combined with the additional information reasonably available in the public domain, claimants could be identified by the disclosure of this information.

This information falls under the exemption in section 40 subsections 2 and 3A (a) of the Freedom of Information Act. This is because it would breach the first data protection principle as:

<p>a. It is not fair to disclose claimant personal details to the world and is likely to cause damage or distress.</p>
<p>b. These details are not of sufficient interest to the public to warrant an intrusion into the privacy of the claimant.</p>

Please click the web link below to see the exemption in full.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/40

<strong>Breach of Patient Confidentiality</strong>

Please note that the identification of claimants is also a breach of the common law duty of confidence. A claimant who has been identified could make a claim against the NHSBSA for the disclosure of confidential information.

The information requested is therefore being withheld as it falls under the exemption in section 41(1) ‘Information provided in confidence’ of the Freedom of Information Act.

Please click the web link below to see the exemption in full.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/41

<strong>Data Queries</strong>

Please contact <a href=mailto:foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk>foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>   ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

<strong>Reusing the data and copyright</strong>

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact  <a href=mailto:communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk>communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>
. 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 2025” 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