New payments for mesothelioma sufferers - 30 September 2008
Legislation for a new scheme to provide financial support to sufferers of mesothelioma within weeks of diagnosis comes into effect on 1 October.
The Mesothelioma, etc., Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, which passed through the Assembly in May, broke the link to work-place exposure to asbestos and provides for lump sum payments to be made to people with mesothelioma who do not currently qualify for any compensation payments.
Sufferers of diffuse mesothelioma will be eligible for a payment, whether they were employees, self-employed or indeed never worked, provided they have not already received compensation, for example, through civil compensation.
Speaking in the Assembly today Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said: "I am pleased that sufferers of mesothelioma in Northern Ireland will, within weeks of diagnosis, receive, on average, a higher than originally estimated payment of £10,000.
“The cost of the scheme is to be met by the introduction of a recovery process from subsequent successful civil compensation claims. Any monies recovered will be ploughed back into the scheme.
“My department has worked closely with the Department for Work and Pensions in Britain to secure a pooling of funds so that people in Northern Ireland receive the same rate of payment as people in Britain. This is yet another example of the benefits of the parity arrangements.
“While no amount of money will ever compensate individuals and families for the suffering and loss caused by mesothelioma, I believe that the new scheme will provide real and meaningful financial help at a time when it is most needed.”
Notes to Editors:
- On 20 July 2006 the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced a number of interim measures to ensure faster compensation for those with mesothelioma, as well as an intention to put in place a long term solution to ensure that those with mesothelioma receive compensation in life.
- A consultation period ran from 4 September to 26 November 2006 and a summary of responses was published on 1 March 2007.
- On 13 March 2007 the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced proposals to provide faster compensation to all people with mesothelioma.
- The cost of the change will be met by compensation recovery so that payments made under the Pneumoconiosis, etc., (Worker’s Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 and under the new Mesothelioma scheme are recovered if a civil damages claim is subsequently successful.
- To make a claim or enquire about the scheme contact Industrial Injuries Branch in the Social Security Agency on 02890 336528 or 02890 336882. A leaflet: Help and advice for people with mesothelioma is also available at: www.dsdni.gov.uk/diffuse-mesothelioma.htm
About mesothelioma
- Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen and is associated almost exclusively with asbestos; it is invariably fatal, and the time between diagnosis and death is on average about 9 months.
- There is a long latency between exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma; this varies from a minimum of about 10 years upwards, the average interval being in the order of 30-40 years. In Northern Ireland mesothelioma causes up to 50 deaths each year.
- It is also the number one identified cause of occupational death. With about 1800 deaths per year at present, expected to rise to about 2,500 with an expected peak between 2010 and 2015, it is the commonest work-related death. Between 2006 and 2020 up to 30,000 people will die of the disease in the UK.
- Cases of mesothelioma in the UK used to occur mainly in people who had worked in ship building and heavy engineering (which used significant amounts of asbestos) and asbestos product manufacturing industries.
- An increasing proportion of cases are now being diagnosed in individuals who may have had less intense exposure such as the building industry (carpenters, electricians, demolition workers etc.) and people who have worked in buildings where asbestos construction materials have been used and become disturbed in some way. It is estimated that these now represent the majority of new cases and therefore there is a large number of people who are at risk of the disease who may be unaware of their exposure to asbestos.
Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
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