Families who have lost loved ones to asbestos and other dust-related diseases will receive higher compensation payouts following legislation laid in Parliament by the Labour Government.
Currently, grieving families often to not receive the same compensation if the sufferer has died. Now this reduced rate is ending and dependants will receive the full compensation.
The Government is also introducing clearer and simpler award rules, including removing outdated elements and introducing a single structure for everyone.
In 2025, 2,730 sufferers received an award and 300 awards were paid to bereaved families at the lower rate.
Douglas Alexander MP said:
“Bereaved families have already endured the unthinkable, so they shouldn’t also face a financial unfairness at the worst possible time. The Labour Government is introducing fairer compensation rules to ensure dependants receive the full support they’re entitled to. These changes are about ending injustices and supporting our wider drive for fairness.”
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, said:
“Families who have lost a loved one to a disease caused by their work deserve our support, not a system that treats them as an afterthought. That’s exactly what’s been happening, and campaigners have been telling us for over a decade that it’s wrong. Today we’re fixing it. Fairer, simpler, clearer support for families, at an incredibly difficult time in their lives.”
The draft Regulations will come into force on 31 October 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval.