Compensation considered for thousands of Britons 'left disabled' by AstraZeneca Covid jabs

The plans, unearthed by The Telegraph, follow concerns that the existing Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) is struggling under the weight of a mountain of claims from those suffering the side effects of Covid vaccines.

Campaigners have said that VDPS - originally set up in 1979 - is no longer fit for purpose.

Meanwhile, officials at the Department of Health and Social Care are understood to weighing up reforms or a complete overhaul of the VDPS.

Just last month, Streeting and Andrew Gwynne, a health minister, met with campaigners from Vaccine Bereaved and Injured UK (Vibuk) to discuss their concerns about the existing compensation scheme.

A number of the families represented by Vibuk are involved in legal action against AstraZeneca - which earlier this year admitted in court documents that its Covid vaccines can, "in very rare cases" cause a side effect.

The UK-Swedish pharmaceutical firm is being sued in a class action over claims that the vaccine, developed with Oxford University, led to dozens of cases of death and serious injury.

Shadow Attorney General Sir Jeremy Wright was also at the meeting with Streeting and Vibuk last month - and is said to have another follow-up meeting with the Health Secretary scheduled in the coming weeks.

LATEST COVID UPDATES:

• Covid variant surges as officials tell Britons to take action
• Covid vaccine 'left me to rot' says runner who suffered horrific side-effects
• Moderna under fire after offering children money to test Covid vaccine

"The two options are reforming the VDPS and also setting up a bespoke compensation scheme," Wright said. "But it is not an option for the Government to put its head in the sand and do nothing."

He added: "If you are in the very small minority of those injured [by the Covid vaccine], those people have a right to expect the state to look after them properly - they were only doing what the state asked them to do."

More than 15,000 people have applied for VDPS compensation for alleged harm caused by Covid vaccines, latest official figures say.

But of the existing 15,804 claims, only 188 have been told they are entitled to payouts.

The figures, disclosed by the Government after a number of freedom of information requests, show that the vast majority of successful claims relate to the AstraZeneca vaccine - while fewer than five concern Pfizer's and Moderna's.

Britons have already been paid out for conditions as severe as heart attacks, strokes and facial paralysis - but campaigners have hit back, arguing that VDPS does not adequately compensate those who have been left unable to work after suffering severe side effects from Covid vaccines.

Charlet Crichton, founder of Covid vaccine side effect support charity UKCVFamily, said: "We are optimistic that the new Government is supporting their vaccine injured and bereaved constituents and we hope that the scheme will be reformed.

"We are calling for a complete overhaul of the scheme. There are too many things wrong with the current scheme for it to be viable."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Our deepest sympathies are with those who have suffered harm.

"The Secretary of State has met with the families to listen to their concerns and agreed that the Government will look closely at these as we continue to learn and apply the lessons of the pandemic."