Lawyers have highlighted a disparity between justice for bereaved families in England and Wales and those in Northern Ireland.
The government confirmed this week it will increase the statutory sum for bereavement damages in Northern Ireland to £15,100 from 1 May, under the Damages for Bereavement (Variation of Sum) Order (Northern Ireland) 2019.
In contrast, damages in England and Wales have remained at £12,980 for six years.
‘The family of a man killed at work is treated very differently depending on which jurisdiction he was in when he died,’ said Brett Dixon, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).
‘It’s a broadening gulf. Since the last time the level of bereavement damages was increased in England and Wales, Northern Ireland has reviewed and increased it twice. In Scotland, sums are calculated on a case-by-case basis, which is much fairer.’
