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. Today, this reduced rate is ending and dependants will receive the full compensation.
This Labour Government is also introducing clearer and simpler award rules, including removing outdated elements and introducing a single structure for everyone.
- Workers with asbestos- and dust-related diseases (e.g., mesothelioma, pneumoconiosis) can claim a one-off Government payment if they haven’t already received compensation from their employer. These diseases can take years to develop, and employers may have gone out of business by the time of diagnosis, meaning Government payments are often the only means of compensation.
- Under the current system, if payment is made after the sufferer dies, bereaved families receive a reduced rate. On average, sufferers get £17,700 and dependants £10,700 – a shortfall of £7,000.
- The Government is introducing legislation to end this injustice, so bereaved families will receive the same full amount as sufferers.
- The changes will also simplify how awards are calculated, removing outdated top-up payments and introducing a single, clear award structure for everyone.
- The changes laid in parliament this month will come into force on 31 October 2026.
In 2025, 2,730 sufferers received an award and 300 awards were paid to bereaved families at the lower rate.
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.”
Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth North, 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.”
