Survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes who are living in the UK face 're-traumatisation' and the prospect of losing essential means-tested benefits if they accept compensation from the Irish state. A cross-party campaign, backed by over 100 UK MPs and peers and figures like Steve Coogan, is pushing for 'Philomena's Law' (an indefinite capital disregard) to ensure compensation is not counted as savings. This issue arises from the Irish government's redress scheme for the horrific experiences in church-run homes between 1922 and 1998.
Survivors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes risk losing UK benefits over compensation
UKIrelandSteve CooganEuropeCatholicismSociety
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes who are living in the UK face 're-traumatisation' and the prospect of losing essential means-tested benefits if they accept compensation from the Irish state. A cross-party campaign, backed by over 100 UK MPs and peers and figures like Steve Coogan, is pushing for 'Philomena's Law' (an indefinite capital disregard) to ensure compensation is not counted as savings. This issue arises from the Irish government's redress scheme for the horrific experiences in church-run homes between 1922 and 1998.
Trending- 1 1922-1998: Mother and baby homes operated in Ireland.
- 2 January 2021: Inquiry report on mother and baby homes published, detailing cruelty and neglect.
- 3 After January 2021: Irish government introduced the mother and baby institutions payment scheme.
- 4 Current: Survivors living in Britain apply for compensation and face the risk of losing UK benefits.
- 5 Tuesday (current): A parliamentary debate is scheduled to call for a change in the law ('Philomena's Law').
- 'Re-traumatisation' of survivors
- Potential loss of essential means-tested benefits for up to 13,000 survivors in Britain
- Low take-up of the Irish compensation scheme among eligible survivors in Britain
- Increased stress and burden on survivors
What: Survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes living in the UK risk losing means-tested benefits if they accept compensation from the Irish state.
When: Tuesday (parliamentary debate), January 2021 (inquiry report published), 1922-1998 (period of homes' operation).
Where: UK (Westminster, Britain), Ireland.
Why: Current UK law considers compensation as savings, which can disqualify recipients from means-tested benefits like universal credit or pension credit, and affect social care eligibility. This forces survivors to choose between redress for past trauma and vital current support. The campaign aims to rectify this by implementing an 'indefinite capital disregard,' similar to other compensation schemes.
How: A cross-party campaign, supported by MPs, peers, and public figures, is advocating for 'Philomena's Law' through a parliamentary debate on Tuesday. The Irish government has already introduced a payment scheme for survivors, but its take-up in Britain is low due to this benefits dilemma.