Government to update PWCA and Mesothelioma scheme payments

The Government has recently announced proposed changes to payments for families of people who died from asbestos-related and other work-related dust diseases.

Workers who develop diseases like mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis caused by their work can claim a one-off payment from the Government if they haven’t already secured compensation from their employer.

The changes apply to the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 scheme and the 2008 Diffuse Mesothelioma Scheme.

Under these proposals:

• Dependants would receive the same payment level as the person who suffered the disease. Currently, if the person dies before their compensation is paid, their family receives a reduced amount. On the Government’s figures the average payment is currently around £17,700 for sufferers, compared with £10,700 for dependants

• The rules for calculating payments would also be simplified. Outdated top-up payments would be removed and replaced with a single award structure.

• According to Government figures, in 2025, 2,730 sufferers received awards, while another 300 awards were paid to dependants at the lower rate. The Government estimates that the changes could increase payments to dependants by £2 million to £6 million per year in total.

The proposed changes are intended to come into force on 31 October 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval.

Whilst this is doubtless a welcome change for asbestos and respiratory disease sufferers and their families, from a claims perspective the impact should be negligible, since such awards should still be capable of being off set from general damages payments.