Bereaved families of asbestos victims to receive full compensation from 31 October

The UK government has scrapped the rule under which families of people who died of asbestos-related diseases before claiming received less than the sufferers themselves. The change applies from 31 October 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said.

What the difference was

People who developed diseases such as mesothelioma or pneumoconiosis can receive compensation from government schemes when it could not be secured from an employer. In 2025, the average payment to sufferers was around £17,700.

When an eligible person died before making a claim, their loved ones received an average of around £10,700, about £7,000 less. According to the DWP, for a 60-year-old claimant under the 2008 scheme (the Diffuse Mesothelioma Scheme), that is the difference between £24,526 and £56,656.

What is changing

From 31 October 2026, loved ones will receive the same amount the deceased person would have been entitled to. This applies to two schemes:

• the 2008 scheme, where a 60-year-old claimant receives £56,656 (previously an eligible dependant received £24,526);
• the scheme under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979, where the example amount is £34,062 at the 2026/27 rate (for a 60-year-old with a disablement assessment of 31–40%); previously dependants received £21,011.

The government says around 300 families a year will benefit. The estimated cost is between £2 million and £6 million a year. The changes follow an independent legal review of the schemes. The legislation was laid in September.

Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said families should not face a financial penalty because of the loss of a loved one. The government stressed that the change follows decades of campaigning by groups including the Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum UK and parliamentarians.

Important limits

The new rules apply to dependants' claims made from 31 October 2026. They do not cover retrospective claims. The scheme in Northern Ireland, run by the Department for Communities, is expected to introduce similar changes in due course. The change also applies in Scotland.

What this means for you

The rules concern people who became ill because of their work and are entitled to government schemes when compensation cannot be claimed from an employer, often because the company no longer exists. The source gives no additional criteria relating to nationality, so this also applies to families of workers from abroad who meet the schemes' conditions, for example after working in construction. It is worth checking the detailed conditions on GOV.UK or asking an organisation that supports asbestos victims.