英国：石棉相关疾病遗属赔偿不再打折 10月31日起按全额发放
英国政府宣布，自10月31日起，因石棉相关或粉尘相关疾病在提出索赔前去世的工人的遗属，将获得全额赔偿，不再因工人未及索赔而削减。此举结束了数十年的争取，预计每年惠及约300个家庭。
在政府计划下，赔偿平均额将从10700英镑提高到17700英镑。按新规，一名60岁索赔人的受养人现在可获得56656英镑，而不是24526英镑，纠正了长期存在的支付不平等。相关立法于9月提交议会，拉平支付的年度成本估计在200万至600万英镑之间。
社会保障与残疾事务大臣 Stephen Timms 说，家庭在因石棉相关疾病失去亲人后，不应再面临经济上的惩罚，并称这项改革是迟到已久的纠正。英国政府苏格兰事务大臣 Melanie Ward 说，新规结束了让包括苏格兰在内的各地家庭吃亏的过时赔偿规则。
UK: Reduced Asbestos Compensation for Bereaved Families Ends, Full Awards From October 31
The UK government has ended a rule that reduced payments to dependants when eligible workers died before submitting a compensation claim under state schemes for asbestos-related and dust-related diseases, with bereaved families now receiving the full award from October 31. The change is expected to benefit around 300 families a year after decades of campaigning.
Average payments in government schemes will rise from £10,700 to £17,700. Under the new rules, a dependant of a 60-year-old claimant can now receive £56,656 instead of £24,526, correcting a longstanding payment inequity.
The legislation was laid in September, and the annual cost of equalising payments is estimated at between £2 million and £6 million. Social Security and Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms said families should not face a financial penalty after losing a loved one to an asbestos-related disease and described the reform as a long-overdue correction. UK Government Minister for Scotland Melanie Ward said the change ends outdated compensation rules that have left families short-changed, including in Scotland.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：照片：石棉拆除作业（资料图），Kurt Nordstrom 摄，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0 授权 / Photo: asbestos abatement work, by Kurt Nordstrom, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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