Payments

There are three payments available from the Skipton Fund. You must apply for first and second stage payments separately and you can only apply for the second payment if you have received the first. If you receive the second payment you will also qualify for a third regular payment.

Additionally, if you are eligible we can apply on your behalf and pay for Pre-Payment Prescription Certificates.

First Stage Payment
Second Stage Payment
Third Regular Payment
Prescription Certificates

First Stage Payment

The first stage payment is £20,000. In order to receive it you must have been infected with hepatitis C through treatment with NHS blood or blood products prior to September 1991, or have acquired it from someone who was. All applications are assessed on the probabilities of whether NHS blood or blood products were the source of infection. 

Any UK doctor who has access to your medical records can complete the form, however, if you are registered with a centre/consultant we would recommend that you approach them first to complete the form as they will have access to test results and other information that may not be with your GP.

The key indicators for a qualifying application are:

that in all probability you received hepatitis C from NHS blood or blood products or from someone who did

and

that your blood test results show that you are currently infected with the hepatitis C virus

or

that you have received or are currently receiving treatment for hepatitis C

or 

that you showed symptoms of hepatitis C after the acute phase of infection (the first 6 months) was over

If you are applying on behalf of a deceased person

You can apply on behalf of the estate of someone who has died: the same criteria apply. 

Applications for first stage payments from the estates of people who died before 29 August 2003 should have been made by 31 March 2011, according to the review of Government policy announced on 12 January 2011. Applications can, however, be considered when there are good reasons for the cut-off date not having been met (such as the executors living outside the UK and not being aware of the change to the scheme). Anybody wishing to make such an application now should contact the Skipton Fund as soon as possible.

Second Stage Payment

The second stage payment is £50,000. This payment is for those who have received the first stage payment and whose hepatitis C has advanced. Again this form must be completed by a doctor, preferably a treating consultant. 

The key indicators for the second stage payment are:

to have undergone, or to be on the waiting list to undergo, a liver transplant

or

to have been diagnosed with primary liver cancer

or

to have been assessed as having cirrhosis based on medical evidence (e.g. biopsy results, blood tests, ultrasounds, Fibro Scan etc.).

or

to have been diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma

Third Regular Payment

Those who meet the criteria for the second stage payment will qualify for a regular payment of £13,200 per year paid monthly or quarterly.

Prescription Certificates

If you have received at least the Skipton Fund  first stage payment of £20,000, are under 60 years of age, are living in England and require a prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) because you are not otherwise exempt from charges please complete a FP95 form and a Skipton Fund form and return them to the Skipton Fund. We will then arrange for a PPC to be sent to the address you provide on the form. This certificate will enable you to receive free prescriptions for one year. If you require these forms to be posted to you instead then please contact the Skipton Fund to request this. Contact details can be found by clicking here.

If you have had to pay to renew your PPC between the dates of 10 January 2011 and 31 March 2011 then please complete this Skipton Fund form instead and return it to the Fund with a photocopy of either your receipt of payment or a photocopy of the certificate itself. We will then reimburse you directly into the account you provide on the form by BACS transfer. If you require this form to be posted to you instead then please contact the Skipton Fund to request this. Contact details can be found by clicking here.