British victims of The Troubles urged to apply for compensation from fund

29 April 2023 , 19:23

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Farid Berrezag was 17 when he was injured

People in Great Britain who were injured or lost loved ones in the Troubles are being urged to apply for compensation.

The Victims’ Payments Board has received more than 4,000 applications since it was formed in 2021 but just 345 of those have come from outside Northern Ireland.

While it’s difficult to determine exactly how many people are eligible for the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme, it is thought there may be thousands yet to claim.

Farid Berrezag – who was 17 when he was injured in the 1996 IRA Docklands Bombing – has applied for the scheme, along with his father and sister.

Zaoui Berrezag, left, died in 2017, more than 20 years after he was injured in Docklands Bombing with son Farid

Farid, who lives in Aylesbury, Bucks, said: “It’s important that people understand victims and survivors of the Troubles are still here, and we’re still facing big challenges. We need support.”

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Payouts from the scheme have so far ranged from £2,298 to £11,490 a year.

The debris across the streets of London's Docklands following the IRA bomb (Press Association)

Paul Bullick, Victims’ Payments Board secretary, said: “As the years roll on, it is becoming more urgent that those injured in these Troubles-related incidents should make themselves known to us.

“It is very difficult to determine how many people suffered injuries during the Troubles in Northern Ireland or elsewhere. The scheme will remain open until 2026 to allow the maximum number of applicants to come forward.”

■Find out more at victimspaymentsboard.org.uk

Claire O'Boyle