Dataset Description

This dataset provides information about non-COVID-19 vaccine claims received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). The data is as of 31 March 2025 and includes any claims transferred to us from the scheme’s previous administrator, the Department for Work and Pensions.

It provides volumes for the following categories:

• Cumulative total of VDPS claims received
• Cumulative total of awarded claims
  • Of which are bereaved claimants (awarded)
• Cumulative total of rejected claims
  • Of which causation due to vaccine not accepted
  • Of which causation due to vaccine accepted but disablement assessed as less than 60%
• Cumulative total of invalid claims
• All live claims
• Live claims unresolved for greater than 12 months
• Live claims unresolved for greater than 18 months
• Live claims unresolved for greater than 24 months
• Cumulative mandatory reversals
• Live mandatory reversals

Rejected claims

Under the government’s rules for the scheme, to qualify for a Vaccine Damage Payment, it must be proved that:

• an eligible vaccine was received
• on the balance of probabilities, the vaccine caused the disability
• the resulting disablement is severe

Some examples of conditions where causation due to a vaccine was not accepted are:

• runny nose
• minor headaches
• backache
• other minor side effects normally associated with being vaccinated

Invalid claims

Invalid claims do not meet the criteria for medical assessment. For example, claims for vaccines that are not included on the government’s eligible vaccines list.

Live claims

The majority of unresolved claims received over 12 months ago have not yet reached an outcome because:

• we require medical records for them and we have not received them yet from the vaccinated person’s healthcare providers – we do not have direct access, so we’re reliant on healthcare providers sharing them
• we require further information from the claimant, for example, evidence of power of attorney if a claim is on someone else’s behalf

Live mandatory reversals

If a medical assessor rejects a claim, the claimant can challenge their decision. They can do this by asking for a mandatory reversal. Under the government’s rules for the scheme, there’s no limit on the number of times a claimant can ask for their claim to be assessed, and there’s no time limit.

The data includes the number of unique mandatory reversals and is therefore not representative of how many times a claim has been assessed again.

Using the data

Please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk if you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

Overview of Service

The VDPS provides a one-off, tax-free payment, currently of £120,000. Under the government’s rules for the scheme, to qualify for a Vaccine Damage Payment, it must be proved that:

• an eligible vaccine was received
• on the balance of probabilities, the vaccine caused the disability
• the resulting disablement is severe

Severely disabled means at least 60% as defined by the principles for assessing the extent of disablement. These are set out in:

• Section 103 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992
• Schedule 2 of the Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations 1982

Each claim is considered by a medical assessor, who is an experienced General Medical Council registered doctor with a license to practise. Medical assessors consider all available evidence as part of their assessment.

The VDPS is not a compensation scheme. A claimant could still seek damages in court.

NHSBSA’s role

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is responsible for the scheme’s rules, including the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979, the payment amount and the disablement criteria.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the scheme on behalf of DHSC, including:

• handling claims in line with DHSC’s rules for the scheme
• working with healthcare providers to obtain medical records from them so claims can be progressed to the medical assessment stage
• managing the contract for the third party medical assessment supplier
• providing updates to claimants

• Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) | NHSBSA
• Vaccine Damage Payment: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Caveats

Enquiries

Citing and Reusing This Data