Diffuse mesothelioma payments
Eligibility
The 2008 scheme
You can claim a one-off payment if you:
- are not entitled to a payment under the 1979 Pneumoconiosis Act
- have not been given a payment for the disease from an employer, a civil claim or elsewhere
- are not entitled to compensation from a Ministry of Defence scheme
You must have been exposed to asbestos in the United Kingdom.
Examples of exposure include:
- you came into contact with asbestos from a relative, for instance by washing their clothes
- you were exposed to asbestos in the environment, for instance you lived near a factory using asbestos
- you were exposed to asbestos while self-employed
- your exposure cannot be specified but it occurred in the United Kingdom
You must claim within 12 months of diagnosis.
Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS)
You may be able to claim if all of the following apply:
- you were diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after 25 July 2012
- your mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos when working in the UK
- you cannot trace the employer that exposed you to asbestos, or their insurers
- you have not made a civil claim against any employer or insurer
- you have not received damages or a specified payment for mesothelioma and you’re not eligible to a specified payment
You may also be able to claim if you were the dependant of a sufferer who has died.
You can claim for DMPS even if you have already claimed from the 2008 scheme or under the 1979 Pneumoconiosis Act. If you’ve already got a payment from the 2008 scheme or the Pneumoconiosis Act, it will be deducted from the amount you get from DMPS.
You may still be able to claim from the 2008 scheme even if you are unsuccessful in your DMPS claim.
Claims through the DMPS scheme must be made within 3 years of diagnosis.