UK government to reform vaccine injury compensation scheme

The UK government has announced plans to reform the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme following an official inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision comes after criticism regarding the scheme’s strict eligibility criteria, which requires applicants to meet a disability threshold of at least 60% to receive a one-time, tax-free payment of £120,000.

The need for reform was highlighted by the case of Marie-Claire Hoyle, an NHS nurse who developed transverse myelitis after participating in an AstraZeneca vaccine clinical trial in 2020. While the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme acknowledged that the vaccine caused her condition, she was denied the payout because her symptoms improved enough to fall below the mandatory 60% disability threshold, despite her suffering permanent spinal cord damage and nerve pain.