Request

How many applications for vaccine damage payments have there been each month since December 2020? Please provide this data broken down by age group.’

On 15 March 2022 you clarified the following:

I do not mind what age groups you break the data into.

If you want a guide, then 66 and over / 56-65 / 40-55/ 18-39 /12-17

But if the data was gathered in different age classifications that will make it easier for you to answer this request by using those age classifications, then please feel free to do so.

Response

A copy of the information is attached.

This information includes figures for all vaccines which are included under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. These figures are accurate as at the 25 March 2022.

Fewer Than 5 Applications

Please be aware that I have decided not to release figures where the total number of applications falls below 5. This is because the applicants could be identified, when combined with other information that may be in the public domain or reasonably available. Where this applies, ‘withheld’ should be represented as a figure in the range of 0-4.

This information falls under the exemption in section 40 subsections 2 and 3A (a) of the Freedom of Information Act.

This is because it would breach the first data protection principle as:

a) it is not fair to disclose applicants 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 applicants.

Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/40

Breach of Applicant Confidentiality

Please note that the identification of applicants is also a breach of the common law duty of confidence. An applicant who has been identified could make a claim against the NHSBSA or yourself for the disclosure of the confidential information.

The information requested is therefore being withheld as it falls under the exemption in section 41(1) ‘Information provided in confidence’ of the Freedom of Information Act.

Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/41

Note - Ages have been grouped to allow for a lower amount of suppression of the data. ‘Age 11 and under’ has been added to the dataset to complete the analysis.

Please note that this request and our response is published on our Freedom of Information disclosure log at:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-23325

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data, please contact nhsbsa.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 nhsbsa.communicationsteam@nhs.net. 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 2022” 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.