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Pleural plaques former claimants payment scheme
Am I eligible?
To qualify for payment through this scheme, you must have been diagnosed with pleural plaques as a result of exposure to asbestos and have attempted to claim damages for the condition prior to 17 October 2007.
In addition:
- As part of your damages claim, you must have a) issued a claim form or b) sent a claim letter prior to 17 October 2007 (in line with Pre-Action Protocol for Disease and Illness).
Or
- Prior to 17 October 2007 you must have named a defendant/insurer to make your claim against, approached a legal/trade union representative about your case and received confirmation that your case was being taken on
In addition, you must:
- not have received any interim payments from your claim for £5000 or more;
- have never resolved your case.
The criteria listed above are general guidance only. If you would like to check your eligibility, please call 0300 303 8150.
How do I apply?
You can apply by telephone or online.
To apply by telephone, please call 0300 303 8150 - lines are open from 08:30 - 17:00 Mon to Thurs and 08:30 - 16:30 on a Friday.
To apply online complete the online application form.
Your application must be submitted by 1 August 2011 to be eligible and you can only apply once under this scheme.
Will any legal costs be paid?
No, the Scheme does not provide for any legal costs or expenses incurred in making a claim. If you are concerned about your solicitor charging you for making a claim through the scheme there are a number of asbestos victims support groups who may be willing to assist free of charge. You can contact the Forum of Asbestos Victim Support Groups on 0161 636 7555.
What supporting documents do I need and where should I send them?
Please do not send any documents at this stage. After you have completed the online application we will write to you with a few days to provide you with your reference number and our address and a statement of truth which must be signed and returned with your documents. Only then will we require you to send the required information.
You will need to provide copies of documents to support your claim within 30 days of making your application otherwise your claim will be rejected.
You should only send copies of documents as no documentation will be returned.
The type of documents will depend on whether you had legal representation for your original damages claim.
If you were represented by a solicitor you will need to provide:
- a sealed copy (i.e. sealed by the issuing court) of the claim form [and particulars of claim]; or
- a copy, certified by the solicitor, of the letter of claim and the documents in support which were sent with it to the defendant/insurer.
If you did not send a letter claiming damages as part of your original claim, you will need to provide:
- Proof of diagnosis of pleural plaques resulting from exposure to asbestos (e.g. a medical report).
- Copies of correspondence with the solicitor or trade union (certified by the solicitor or trade union) confirming the taking on of the case prior to 17 October 2007 and its handling.
- Documentation to show that you were working in England or Wales and were exposed to asbestos in the course of that employment. Documentation can include Inland Revenue documents, contracts, wage slips etc; the list is not exhaustive – please ring the help line if you are uncertain.
- Details of the defendant and/or insurer and grounds of claim against that defendant/insurer.
If you were not represented by a solicitor and represented yourself for your original damages claim, you will need to provide:
- a sealed copy (i.e. sealed by the issuing court) of the claim form and particulars of claim; or
- a copy of the letter of claim and the documents in support which were sent with it to the defendant/insurer.
Deceased claims – can the estate or relatives of someone who has died make a claim on their behalf?
No. There is no provision for posthumous applications within the Scheme however, if an applicant dies having submitted an application, the application will continue to be dealt with and a payment made if appropriate.
Why does the scheme only apply to people who contracted Pleural Plaques while working in England & Wales?
The civil law is an area where the devolved administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legal systems.
I’m completing an online application but am having difficulty recording the dates of my employment.
If you do not know the exact dates of your employment we may still be able to process your application. If you complete the online application to show approximate years of your employment. You can use 1st January for the date and use the format 00/00/0000, e.g. start date 01/01/1970, end date 01/01/1975.
I live abroad and cannot record a post code when making an online application. What should I do?
Please record the postcode for your former address in the UK and we will change this.
Who can sign the statement of truth and the bank details form?
A legal representative can sign the statement of truth on your behalf as long as there is a mandate sent showing they have the authority to act on your behalf in respect of making an application through the pleural plaques scheme. This will probably only be applicable if they represented you in the previous pleural plaques claim prior to October 2007. The bank details form which is issued if the applicant is eligible for a payment must always be signed by the applicant.
Will I be notified when the payment has been sent to my bank account?
No - It can take several weeks for a payment to be sent to your account so please take this into consideration before contacting us.
What if I have not been able to submit all the relevant documents needed to support my claim before the 30 day time limit expires?
You can apply for an extension of time within the 30 day time limit by contacting the helpline 0300 303 8150. Only reasonable requests will be granted
If my claim is rejected do I have any right to appeal?
Yes. You will be informed of the reasons why your claim has been rejected and provided details of how to make an appeal.
