Corries welcome long overdue asbestos scheme payment increase

Corries are pleased to report that an eleven year old mesothelioma scheme for victims has had a long awaited increase for victims of asbestos cancer.

Read about how the change works and how we may be able to help you.

Corries Solicitors Ltd are one of the UK’s most experienced asbestos claims solicitors. Call us FREE on 0800 083 7839 and see if we can help you.

The Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS)

The DMPS was set up in 2014 to help the victims of asbestos related cancer called mesothelioma.

Typically people exposed to asbestos have worked for companies who have long since disappeared. Tracing insurers is an uncertain procedure at best. Many thousands of victims did not get a penny.

With an annual figure of 2600 being diagnosed with mesothelioma then many cancer victims were left without compensation.

Thankfully the Mesothelioma Act 2014 swiftly brought into life an asbestos scheme to help those would normally be compensated but for a paymaster.

How has the claim worked?

In broad terms the asbestos scheme has worked reasonably well. The annual figures for the numbers of claims made and those which have succeeded have got slightly better. Some 3550 claims were made from when the scheme started in 2014 until 2024. In the first nine years about 68% of claims succeeded and this has improved since then at about 75%.

However, many victims of asbestos cancer still go without compensation.

Who funds it

The scheme is paid by a levy on Employers Liability insurance policies taken out each year. This provides a pot of money to finance the running of the scheme. The yearly payments made which have been as high as £40 million in 2018/19. They have been broadly less than that in the years since 2018.

An increase in applications in the last two years has been noted. This is in line with court decisions making common law claims even more difficult for mesothelioma victims.one year.

A perceived decline in the number of people was made in 2014. This too has not wrong as the number of victims stays constant.

The facts and figures until 2024 are set out here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/diffuse-mesothelioma-payment-scheme-annual-review-2023-to-2024/diffuse-mesothelioma-payment-scheme-annual-statistics-april-2014-to-march-2024#payments

What is paid out if you claim?

When the scheme started it paid out on a tariff at about 80% of what the scheme handlers estimated a normal common law claim would yield.

In 2015 this was increased to a 100% payment.

The scheme has always had a £7,000 fixed sum for legal costs.

The amount of the payment has been averaged out at about £139,000.

A link to the scheme website is here.https://www.mesoscheme.org.uk/

The changing of the rules

Following lobbying led by solicitors in this field a change has been made. The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) have listened and agreed to changes in the sums paid to victims and their lawyers.

As a result payments to victims have been increased across the tariff by 49%. Payments to their lawyers have increased to £13,700.

When does the change start

The new figures will affect anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma after 4th November 2025. Existing claimant shall still be paid under the old figures.

More to do?

The increase in the sums to be paid is long overdue and of great importance to asbestos victims.

However our work in fighting for victims of asbestos disease means we would like to see more being done.

Corries director and 34 year veteran of asbestos claims Howard Bonnett commented

“The move by the DWP is much appreciated. However further work could be done. The existing scheme still denies compensation to 1 in 4 victims. They all suffer this most terrible disease. Surely they should all be treated the same.

I ask that the DWP looks again at the scheme and considers lowering the bar for mesothelioma victims and in particular for women who suffer this disease. They make up 1 in 7 mesothelioma victims today.

In addition I ask that a review be done to help compensation to the thousands of asbestos lung cancer victims who suffer and die without compensation every year. Expanding the scheme for this silent group of victims would be of great help to many more people in the years to come”

Here to help

Corries claims team are running a national media advert the weekend of 25th and 26th October 2025. We aim to raise awareness and make sure asbestos victims get due compensation. If you or someone you know may have a claim call us. It is FREE and we are always happy to help. Call us now on 0800 083 7839. Or if you cannot manage the phone then e mail us on info@corries.co.uk