Campaigners rejoice after Keir Starmer backs ‘Philomena’s Law’ to protect payments for up to 13,000 survivors living in Britain
Survivors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes can continue to receive benefits in the UK after Downing Street dropped a plan to cut payments.
Keir Starmer bowed to pressure from campaigners to back a bill known as Philomena’s law, which would ringfence survivors’ benefits if they accepted compensation from Dublin.
Up to 13,000 of the survivors who are living in Britain risked losing access to essential means-tested benefits if they accepted compensation, which can range from €5,000 to €125,000 (£4,230 to £105,000) depending on the length of time people were resident.
In a joint statement, the British and Irish governments acknowledged the victims’ suffering. “In recognition of the lifelong impact of this, today the UK agrees to disregard payments under Ireland’s mother and baby redress scheme, ensuring that survivors in both countries are treated the same and can receive the compensation to which they are rightly entitled.”
