Government extends eligibility to provide lump sum compensation pay-outs to veterans suffering with mesothelioma

All veterans living with the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, as a result of their Service are set to receive lump sum compensation pay-outs as a result of a campaign spearheaded by The Royal British Legion. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In December 2015 the Government announced changes to its compensation scheme which meant that veterans – yet to be diagnosed with the cancer – could receive either regular smaller payments or a new one-off tax-free lump sum of £140,000, which was in line with arrangements for civilians. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Government has announced that the policy change will be extended to those already diagnosed, enabling them to now access lump sum payments to help them and their families cope with the disease. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This will help close the gap between the compensation which has been available to veterans compared with the much larger sums that civilian sufferers have access to. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Legislative provisions will be made to enable lump sums to be paid from April 11th 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mesothelioma is a particularly aggressive form of terminal cancer that affects the ‘pleura’ of the lungs, and which is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. The cancer can take decades to materialise but, once diagnosed, most sufferers will have a life expectancy of only one to two years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For details of the Legion’s mesothelioma campaign visit: www.britishlegion.org.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​