MPs tasked with scrutinising spending have called for government compensation schemes to be run by an independent body after three-quarters of victims of scandals such as Windrush, Post Office and infected blood reported that the current system of redress has distressed or retraumatised them.

A damning report from the House of Commons public accounts committee this month said several government schemes failed to deliver compensation to victims in a reasonable time, too many victims needed ‘expensive and time-consuming’ legal support to deal with the complexity of the schemes and burdensome evidential requirements, and victims had lost trust given schemes were being run by the bodies that caused the initial harm.

One victim, in his 70s, told the inquiry that he had to ‘dredge up very painful memories’ as staff would or could not use the information he had already submitted. He said he had to retain those painful memories in case staff required follow-up information. ‘Night terrors’ for which he sought medical help returned.

Committee member Anna Dixon told the House of Commons last week that one of her constituents, the wife of a postmaster and co-owner of the post office, suffered alopecia and a blood clot - but when she applied for compensation, she was told her suffering was irrelevant. 

Anna Dixon MP

Dixon: 'Compensation schemes exist to provide redress, but they should also provide confidence that people will be treated fairly' 

Source: Parliament.uk

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The committee makes several recommendations to government, such as working with victim representatives to design the scheme and agree evidence thresholds. With funded legal support varying between schemes, the committee says the government and victim representatives should agree on what funded support should be made available.

Dixon told MPs last week: ‘Compensation schemes exist to provide redress, but they should also provide confidence that people will be treated fairly, confidence that lessons have been learned and confidence that future schemes will be better than those that came before. All those who shared their experiences with our committee have given the government a valuable opportunity to improve, and we should not waste it.’

The government is expected to reply to the committee's report within two months.