Deadline extension urged as Troubles victims die before payment application approved

Kenny Donaldson of the SEFF victims’ group said it is “unreasonable” to close applications at the end of August 2024 when “when very many people across these islands and beyond have still to be made aware of the very existence of the scheme".

Figures obtained by the BBC show that fewer than 1,000 of the 6,200 applications have been progressed to a determination, and that 43 people have died while waiting on a decision.

The scheme, which opened in August 2021, offers payments to those who suffered serious injury, either physical or psychological, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The body responsible for administering the fund said it prioritises applications from the terminally ill and older people, and that almost £32m has been paid out to victims to date.

However, the board described the process as "complex", and said that the passage of time is making some of the required records "difficult or impossible to retrieve".

Mr Donaldson said: "We are one of the groups resourced to support victims/survivors in applying for the scheme and to date we have submitted circa 1,150 applications accounting for around 18% of overall applications to the scheme.

"We are aware of the challenges faced by those administering the scheme due to the complex way in which the legislation governing the scheme was developed.”

Mr Donaldson added: "We understand the delays are principally around the information gathering process and the nature of responses by other stakeholder agencies who hold the information necessary for applications to be fully considered and to have the best chance of success.

"This said we absorb significant frustration, and at times anger, from applicants who feel it is incredulous that after two years they still have not received an outcome to their application. We are working collaboratively with the Victims Payment Board to raise and deal with issues and we are hopeful that some progress might be made.”