FOI-02032

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  <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>
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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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##Request

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? Please provide a breakdown of which vaccine were used in the claims awarded.

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? Please provide a breakdown of which vaccine was used in the claims when causation was accepted.

Please give a breakdown of levels of disability being rejected where causation has been accepted, in bands of disabilty level 0-19% 20% to 39% 40% to 59%

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, 24 months for a decision?

8) How many of the successful claims involved a fatality?

9) How many requests for a mandatory reconsideration have been received?

How many have been determined? Of those determined how many have been allowed/ refused?

10) How many appeals to the tribunal have been filed? What are the outcomes?

11) How many claims not involving a Covid vaccine have been received since the NHSBSA took over administering the scheme Nov 21? How many have been awarded, and how many have been rejected on failing the 60% disability criteria?’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 23 June 2024. 

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

##Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested.

All data as of 21 June 2024. 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 for questions 1 to 10 relate to COVID-19 vaccines.

###Fewer than five

Please be aware that I have decided not to release the full details where the total number of individuals falls below five. This is because the individuals could be identified, when combined with other information that may be in the public domain or reasonably available. This information falls under the exemption in section 40 subsections 2 and 3 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This is because it would breach the first data protection principle as:

a - it is not fair to disclose individual’s personal details to the world and is likely to cause damage or distress.

b - these details are not of sufficient interest to the public to warrant an intrusion into the privacy of the individual.

Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full.
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/40  

###Breach of confidentiality 

Please note that the identification of individuals is also a breach of the common law duty of confidence. An individual who has been identified could make a claim against the NHSBSA for the disclosure of the 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 below web link to see the exemption in full.  
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/41
Please note, due to low numbers and low increases of numbers following disclosure of FOI-01924 (https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-01924) we are unable to provide several of the figures requested. These have been detailed below. This is likely to happen because of the frequency of requests for the same information – once a month or more. We would advise that we would be less likely to need to apply exemptions if requests were submitted every three or six months.

###Question 1
13,884 claims have been received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS).

###Question 2
6,134 claimants have been notified of an outcome.

###Question 3
180 claimants have been notified that they are entitled to a Vaccine Damage Payment. Of these, fewer than five were Pfizer and Moderna and the remaining claims were AstraZeneca. Therefore, as detailed above in accordance with section 40 (2) and section 41 of FOIA, we are unable to provide an updated breakdown by manufacturer.

###Question 4
5,954 claims have been rejected, and a further 592 did not meet the criteria for medical assessment.

###Question 5

5,596 claims were unsuccessful because the independent medical assessor recommended that, on the balance of probabilities, the vaccine did not cause the disability in question (causation).
358 claims were unsuccessful because, although the claims met the criteria for causation, the independent medical assessor recommended that the vaccine has not caused severe disablement. Under the VDPS, severe disablement means at least 60% disabled, based on Schedule 2 of The Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations 1982.

Of the 358 claims, 236 relate to AstraZeneca, 90 relate to Pfizer and 27 relate to Moderna. The remaining claims relate to more than one COVID-19 vaccine and therefore we are unable to categorise them. For example, where a claim relates to an initial vaccine from one manufacturer and a booster from another. 

The requested breakdown by level of disability has not been provided. This is because the small changes in numbers when compared to figures provided previously, in response to similar Freedom of Information requests, could result in claimants being identified.

###Question 6
We have refined how we record conditions in relation to awarded claims. The list of conditions now covers the main condition the independent medical assessor has identified. The main conditions of the claims awarded a Vaccine Damage Payment:

* Anaphylaxis
* Bell's palsy
* Capillary leak syndrome
* Guillain-Barre syndrome
* Immune thrombocytopenia
* Myocardial Infarction
* Myocarditis/pericarditis
* Pulmonary Embolus
* Stroke/CVA
* Transverse myelitis
* VITT/Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

Other, including:

* Cause of death - acute allergic reaction
* Bacterial pneumonia, immune response to vaccine, inflammation of lungs
* Vaccine-induced vasculitis
* Bilateral sequential optic neuropathy

###Question 7
894 claims were received more than 12 months ago and have not yet reached an outcome. Of these, 222 claims were received more than 18 months ago and have not yet reached an outcome. Of these, 102 claims were received more than 24 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
65 claims where an award outcome has been communicated were made on behalf of someone who has died.

###Question 9
1,012 requests for a mandatory reversal have been received. 425 mandatory reversals have been reassessed. 
Please be advised since the disclosure of FOI-01924, where 12 claimants had been notified they are entitled to a Vaccine Damage Payment, this figure has increased by fewer than five. We have therefore decided not to disclose this exact figure under section 40 (2) and section 41 of the FOIA. Details of these exemptions are outlined above.
At the mandatory reversal stage, a claimant is advised that they can add further evidence to support their claim. For example, a claimant can ask the NHSBSA to contact healthcare providers to obtain evidence of further treatment received since their original claim.

###Question 10
20 appeals have been received and are awaiting to be heard by a tribunal.
Fewer than five have reached an outcome. We have therefore decided not to disclose this exact figure under section 40 (2) and section 41 of the FOIA. Details of these exemptions are outlined above.

###Question 11
558 claims not involving a COVID-19 vaccine have been received by the VDPS. 
Fewer than five of these claims have been awarded.
Fewer than five claims were unsuccessful because, although the claim met the criteria for causation, the independent medical assessor recommended that the vaccine has not caused severe disablement. Under the VDPS severe disablement means at least 60% disabled, based on Schedule 2 of The Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations 1982. We have therefore decided not to disclose these exact figures under section 40 (2) and section 41 of the FOIA. Details of these exemptions are outlined above.


##Data Queries

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing, the data please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

##Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. 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 2024” 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
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log