Thousands still waiting for Covid jab payouts as over £5m in compensation has already been paid

More than £5 million has been paid out in damages to those harmed by the Covid vaccine.

Around 4,000 claims related to the jab were made under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, which provides a one-off payment of £120,000.

The NHS said 44 claims have been successful so far but 2,947 are still awaiting a decision.

Alexandra Kelly received £120,000 after the death of her 71-year-old mother Anthea in January 2021 with pneumonitis, an inflammation of the lungs, following her AstraZeneca jab.

But Alexandra, 49, branded the damages scheme a “shameless” one, with hundreds of other claims dismissed or in limbo.

Claire Hibbs was denied a payout 18 months after making a claim. She was hospitalized for nearly a month due to a blood clot after the AstraZeneca jab.

The mother of two said she had to leave her operational job at EasyJet.

Claire, 49, said she was not paid because she did not reach the criteria for being 60% disabled due to the vaccine.

The NHS Business Services Authority, which runs the scheme, said it was increasing its resources to process claims faster.