Limit Increased for Bereavement Damages

The Lord Chancellor has signed an Order to say that the amount awarded for Bereavement Damages be increased from £10,000 to £11,800 for all fatal accidents that occur from January 1, 2008.

The changes have been made in order to keep in line with changes to the Retail Price Index that have incurred since the last rise in Bereavement Damages in April 2002.

The Government has highlighted its intention to review the figure, accordingly, on a regular basis.

Adrian Budgen, Partner at national law firm Irwin Mitchell commented: "Whilst we welcome the increase we feel that it is, at best, modest and that more could be done to compensate people sadly affected by bereavement.

"In Scotland, people are able to claim up to £30,000 and yet, in England and Wales, this sum amounts to less than half.

"The Government has announced that they will consider the figure on a regular basis but we urge them to commit to an annual review in order to ensure that people are appropriately compensated for their tragic loss."