Asbestos compensation injustice ended for bereaved families

2 Nov 2026 11:56 AM

As of saturday (31st October), families of workers who have died from asbestos-related diseases before claiming compensation will now receive the full award.

• Government ends system that penalised bereaved families during their most difficult times.
• Around 300 families a year to benefit from full compensation rate for workers who have died from asbestos related diseases.
• Families to receive significantly more following decades of campaigning

In 2025, workers who developed asbestos-related or dust-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis, received average payments of around £17,700 through the Government’s compensation schemes where compensation had not otherwise been secured from an employer.

Before the recent change, where an eligible person died before making a claim, their loved ones received average payments of around £10,700 in 2025, around £7,000 less than the average payment made to sufferers. For a 60-year-old claimant, a dependant could now receive £56,656 instead of £24,526.

While no amount of money can make up for their loss, this additional compensation can help families with day-to-day expenses and provide support as they navigate life without their loved one.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms recently said:

Losing a loved one to an asbestos-related disease is devastating. Families should not then face a financial penalty because of that loss.

From today, bereaved families will receive the full compensation their loved ones would have been entitled to, ending a longstanding unfairness in the system.

This is a long-overdue change that will provide greater support for families at a difficult time.

After decades of campaigning from groups including the Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum UK and parliamentarians, the legislation now rights a historic wrong, ensuring bereaved families receive the same compensation entitlement as sufferers, at an estimated cost of between £2 million and £6 million per year.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Melanie Ward recently said:

For far too long, the families of workers who have suffered from the devastating effects of asbestos and dust-related diseases have been short-changed by outdated compensation rules.

I’m glad that from today, the UK Government is putting an end to this injustice - including for victims in Scotland - by scrapping reduced payments for dependants. Across the UK, this long-awaited reform will increase compensation payments for grieving families

I pay tribute to the campaigners who have fought for many years to make this change happen.

Jane Lassey, Director of Regulation at the Health and Safety Executive recently ​said:

Asbestos-related diseases continue to cause great suffering, and the effects of past exposure are still being felt by workers and their families. This change means bereaved families will receive the support their loved ones would have been entitled to.

HSE’s priority remains preventing future harm. We will keep working with employers, workers and partners to make sure the risks from asbestos are understood and managed, so that fewer families have to go through this loss.

The corresponding scheme in Northern Ireland, run by the Department for Communities, is expected to introduce similar changes in due course. 

This announcement comes following the laying of the legislation in September, as part of the Government’s effort to support bereaved families.

Additional Information:

• The new law applies to new dependant claims made from 31 October 2026; this is not eligible for retrospective claims.
• The Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 scheme and the 2008 Diffuse Mesothelioma Scheme provide lump-sum compensation to people who have contracted a dust-related disease through their work, or to their dependants, where they have been unable to claim damages from an employer, often because the employer no longer exists.
•  Under the 2008 Scheme. a 60-year-old claimant would receive £56,656, while an eligible dependant currently receives £24,526 if no claim was made before death. Under the new law, the dependant would receive the full £56,656.
• The same principle applies on the 1979 scheme. A 60-year-old diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease who makes a successful claim under the 1979 Scheme would receive a lump sum payment of £34,062 (2026/27 rate for an individual aged 60 with a disablement assessment of 31-40%). If they die before making a claim, an eligible dependant can currently receive £21,011. Under the new law, the dependant would instead receive £34,062, matching the amount that would have been paid to the individual.
• The changes follow an independent legal review of the schemes, which recommended a range of updates to reduce legal and reputational risk, including the changes to dependant payments and the introduction of a clear “relevant date” for award calculations.