Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme payments: FOI release

Information requested

In what circumstances would it be necessary for a bereaved partner (including a widow or widower) to prove cause of death of their late partner to receive regular payments under SIBSS?

Response

Bereaved partners do not normally need to prove the cause of death of their late partner to receive regular payments from SIBSS.

The only circumstance where it is necessary to prove the cause of a beneficiary's death when an application is made under Schedule 1, paragraph 4 of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme, which is where a spouse or partner of someone who was at Hepatitis C (HCV) Stage 1 wishes to receive bereaved payments at the advanced HCV (Stage 2) level where it is necessary to prove there was, on the balance of probabilities, a direct causal link between the Hepatitis C infection and death.

The Scottish Government understands the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme are to provide supplementary information to the Infected Blood Inquiry to clarify evidence provided during the oral hearings in relation to this point. 

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