Request

You asked us:

‘I would like to know the following information

1) How many requests for a mandatory reversal have been received following an unsuccessful claim to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme?

2) How many of the claimants have made requests for a mandatory reversal more than once?

3) For those claimants who have made multiple requests for a mandatory reversal, have any been successful? If the figure is over 5, please state)’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 17 March 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested.

All data as of 28 February 2025. All data relates to claims received by the NHSBSA and those transferred from the previous administrator, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). All data provided relates to COVID-19 vaccines only.

Fewer than five
Please be aware that I have decided not to release the full details where the total number of individuals falls below five. This is because the individuals could be identified, when combined with other information that may be in the public domain or reasonably available. This information falls under the exemption in section 40 subsections 2 and 3 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This is because it would breach the first data protection principle as:

a. it is not fair to disclose individual’s personal details to the world and is likely to cause damage or distress. b. these details are not of sufficient interest to the public to warrant an intrusion into the privacy of the individual.

Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/40

Question 1

‘1) How many requests for a mandatory reversal have been received following an unsuccessful claim to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme?’

If a claim is rejected, the claimant can challenge the medical assessor’s decision by submitting a mandatory reversal. This means the claim will be assessed again. 1,702 mandatory reversals have been received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS).

Question 2

‘2) How many of the claimants have made requests for a mandatory reversal more than once?’

204 claimants have requested a mandatory reversal more than once. Under the government’s rules for the VDPS, there is no limit on the number of times a claimant can request a mandatory reversal, and there is no time limit.

Question 3

‘3) For those claimants who have made multiple requests for a mandatory reversal, have any been successful? If the figure is over 5, please state)’

At the mandatory reversal stage, a claimant is advised that they can add further evidence to support their claim. For example, a claimant can ask the NHSBSA to contact healthcare providers to obtain evidence of further treatment received since their original claim. When reassessing a claim, the medical assessor will consider all evidence previously supplied and new evidence.

Under the government’s rules for the VDPS, there is no limit on the number of times a claimant can request a mandatory reversal, and there is no time limit.

Fewer than five claimants were successful following more than one mandatory reversal.

Reusing the data and copyright

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 2025” 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.