Thank you for your request for information about the following:

I am interested in knowing more about the time taken for payments under the VDPS to be made.

1. Can you confirm what is the average time taken for a VDPS payment to be made after receipt of an application (in general)?
2. Would it be possible to give figures for time taken to process specifically Covid-19 vaccination claims?
3. Once the decision has been taken to make a VDPS payment, how long does it take on average to make the actual payment?

Time Frame: 01/01/1978 – 31/12/2023

Your request was received on 17 January 2024 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Response

1978 to 1 November 2021

The Department of Health and Social Care requested the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) transfer to NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from 1 November 2021.

I am therefore writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you have requested prior to 2021 is not held by the NHSBSA. This data may be held by DWP:

Freedom of Information Requests

Department of Work and Pensions

Caxton House

Tothill Street

London

SW1H 9NA

Email: freedom-of-information-request@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

November 2021 onwards

All data as of 31 December 2023. All data relates to claims received by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) and those transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 1 November 2021.

Question 1

In December 2020, ministers agreed to add COVID-19 to the VDPS. Between 22 March 2021 and 31 December 2023, for successful claims for all vaccines, the average number of days it took from receiving a claim to receipt of a Vaccine Damage Payment was 638.

As part of the process of the scheme, we need a full set of medical records for each claimant, and it can take time for the claimant’s healthcare providers to gather and securely supply copies of these records.

Once sent for assessment, the time it takes for the independent medical assessor to review a claim can vary from case to case depending on the individual circumstances of each claim.

Question 2

Between 3 February 2021 and 31 December 2023, for COVID-19 vaccine related claims, the average number of days it took from receiving a claim for an outcome to be communicated was 294.

As part of the process of the scheme, we need a full set of medical records for each claimant, and it can take time for the claimant’s healthcare providers to gather and securely supply copies of these records.

Once sent for assessment, the time it takes for the independent medical assessor to review a claim can vary from case to case depending on the individual circumstances of each claim.

Question 3

Between 1 November 2021 and 31 December 2023, the average number of days it took from communicating an award to receipt of a Vaccine Damage Payment was 40.

Payments are made within 10 working days once we have received relevant documents from claimants. For example, a completed bank details form.

All averages given are the mean

Data Queries

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

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

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2024” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.