A new fund set up to help victims of an aggressive form of cancer caused by exposure to Asbestos could pay an average of £123,000 in compensation to those affected.
Mesothelioma suffers and their families could apply for the money from a £380 million pot from next month that has been put aside to help.
The fund is aimed at those diagnosed with the condition after July 2012 who cannot local insurance details or whose former employers are no longer operating to sue for compensation.
The disease is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and the majority of those who are diagnosed with it die within three years.
According to the figures around 2,000 people are diagnosed with the illness each year with numbers expected to rise over the coming years.
Many tradespeople including builders were exposed to the harmful substance during the 1980′s without even knowing and were unable to claim compensation up until recently.
On top of the compensation, claimants will also be entitled to up to £7,000 in legal costs.
The money is funded by the insurance industry but unfortunately those who were diagnosed before July 2012 will not be eligible to apply.
The Mesothelioma Act was passed in January and allowed the creation of the compensation pot, funded by the insurance industry.
Those diagnosed before the scheme was first announced, on 25 July 2012, will not be eligible.
Mike Penning, Work and Pensions Minister, said: “This will end years of injustice for mesothelioma victims and their families – who have had to endure this terrible disease with little hope of any compensation from the insurance industry.
“We have made it an absolute priority to bring in the scheme as soon as legislation will allow, so I am pleased to announce that victims will be able to apply for payments from next month.”
Calculations predict that around 3,500 patients or their immediate family could be eligible for support.