FAQ’s
Can I make an application?
This site’s Eligibility Questionnaire will help you to understand whether you are eligible to apply to the scheme.
When should I make an application?
You can make an application up to three years after your first diagnosis of Diffuse Mesothelioma. It is advantageous to submit an application form as soon as possible. The claim will then progress further once we have the supporting evidence outlined in question 4.
I am a relative of someone diagnosed with Mesothelioma. Can I submit an application?
Yes, but only if you are an eligible dependant of the deceased. An eligible dependant is defined in the legislation as:
A relative or person dependent on the person diagnosed with Diffuse Mesothelioma at the time of their death, e.g. a spouse who was living with the person diagnosed with Mesothelioma or was receiving financial support from the them.
Alternatively, if there is no spouse or partner, an eligible dependant could be a child (or children) who is under 16, or is under 21 and not employed full time, or is permanently incapable of self-support.
Where there are two or more dependents, payments can be made to each dependent, but the amounts will always correspond with the prevailing tariff and equal the amount that would be payable if there were just one dependent.
Do I need a solicitor to make an application for a payment from the scheme?
No, the application can be made by you or someone acting on your behalf. The application form should be completed and submitted alongside the relevant supporting documentation as stated in the answer to FAQ 4. As the application process may be quite involved, however, you may wish at any point to instruct a solicitor to act on you behalf
What information/documents will I need to provide to support my application?
In order to complete the application form fully, you will need to have the following pieces of information to hand:
*Your National Insurance Number
*Your age when diagnosed
*Evidence of said diagnosis and the date on which it was made
*Evidence in support of your employment history
*Evidence of any/all unsuccessful attempts to trace your employer/their insurer (the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office holds historic insurance policy records. In order to determine if there is a liable party that you might be able to claim against, an extended trace needs to be carried out via the ELTO).
*Details of any previous claims made
*A Witness Statement
Please take our Eligibility Questionnaire to see whether you may be eligible to submit an application
I would like to make an application online but can’t provide my supporting evidence electronically. Can I still apply?
Yes, If you do not have electronic copies of some or all of your supporting evidence, you can send us paper copies by post. Any original or photocopied documentation sent by post should be marked with your unique reference number which will have been provided in the e-mail sent acknowledging receipt of your application form.
What if I need to provide information but can’t get it from the person who has it?
If you have a solicitor you may want to ask them to help you progress your application. Otherwise, please contact TopMark Claims Management (DMPS.CM@Davies-Group.com) so that we may assist and determine how best to go about obtaining this information.
What if I need to provide information but can’t get it from the person who has it?
If you have a solicitor you may want to ask them to help you progress your application. Otherwise, please contact TopMark Claims Management so that we may assist and determine how best to go about obtaining this information.
How safe is the data I provide in support of my application?
As the scheme administrator, Davies Group Ltd and its subsidiary TopMark Claims Management are bound by strict rules concerning the storage and unauthorized disclosure of information relating to a person and acquired in the course of administering the scheme. These rules go beyond those contained in the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018
How much will I receive as a payment?
Payments are made according to age based tariff and correlate with the age of the person with Diffuse Mesothelioma when they were diagnosed.
Where the application is made by a dependent and a diagnosis was made after the person diagnosed with Mesothelioma’s death, the tariff payment will correspond with the age of the sufferer when they died
Who pays my solicitor’s fees?
The tariff amounts paid in respect of successful applications include fixed fees of £7,000 for a diagnosis prior to 4th November 2025 and £13,700 for a diagnosis on or after 4th November 2025, which will be deducted in order to pay your solicitor’s fees.
If you incur legal costs of less than £7,000 / £13,700, you are entitled to keep the difference. If your legal costs exceed these amounts, you will be liable to make up the difference.
How long will it take before I receive a payment?
Once all necessary documentation and information has been received in support of an application, a decision will be made within four weeks and, if successful, payment made within two weeks thereafter.
What if I die before I receive a payment from the scheme?
If you submit an application to the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS) and it is under consideration when you die, your claim will be progressed as if you were alive and a decision made.
If successful, a payment will be made to your personal representative.
If a person with Diffuse Mesothelioma did not make an application to the DMPS prior to their death, and assuming that they meet the eligibility criteria, their eligible dependants may apply for a DMPS payment on their behalf.
What happens to the money I received from the lump sum schemes administered by the DWP and/or the social security benefits I have received?
If you have received recoverable DWP lump sum payments or social security benefits in relation to mesothelioma, these will be deducted from your compensation payment.
This is in line with the benefit recovery rules that operate for civil claims.
What happens if, after I’ve received a DMPS payment, I find an employer or insurer to sue?
The DMPS payment is payable in cases where a claim could not be brought against a liable employer/insurer. If a liable employer/insurer is subsequently identified and a successful claim made, the compensator must deduct the amount of the DMPS payment from the compensation payment and repay that to the DMPS scheme.
If a liable employer/insurer is identified after a scheme payment has been made, you must contact TopMark Claims Management. We will provide further advice and may be able to assist you in pursuing the claim.
What can I do if my application is unsuccessful?
Giving your reasons why you feel that decision was incorrect, you may request that Topmark Claims Management review the decision on your application.
If you remain dissatisfied once the review has been completed, you can request that an independent appeal tribunal (known as the First Tier Tribunal) considers your case.
If you have any other queries which have not been addressed by these FAQs, or the ‘Application & Appeals’ or Glossary & Useful Links’ pages, please do not hesitate to contact us at DMPS.CM@davies-group.com.
How do I file a complaint about the handling of my application?
In the event of a complaint by an applicant about the Administrator (in this case TopMark’s) handling of an application, please follow this link:
https://www.mesoscheme.org.uk/complaints-procedure/