UK-based survivors of mother-and-baby homes fear losing benefits by claiming redress

Survivors of Ireland's Magdalene laundries and mother-and-baby homes, now living in the UK, are facing a distressing dilemma. While the Irish government offers redress for the profound suffering they endured, many are hesitant to claim it. The reason is stark: accepting the compensation could jeopardize the crucial, means-tested benefits they rely on for survival in the United Kingdom.

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We are scared because should we accept compensation, the state supports that we rely on will cease and then we're left in a state of poverty. And that's very scary at our age.

This situation highlights a significant oversight in the redress scheme, as Rosemary Adaser, a survivor living in west London, explained. She fears that accepting compensation would lead to a loss of state support, plunging individuals, particularly those on lower incomes, into poverty. The fear is palpable: the very act of seeking justice for past trauma could lead to present-day destitution.

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So the fear is actually that we can't afford to accept the pension because the social care that is free to us right now, the additional financial supports that we enjoy, can be removed and that taxation would also be a factor.

Adding to the distress are the practical hurdles survivors face in navigating the redress scheme. Many lack the digital literacy required for the online portal, and support systems are not universally accessible, especially for those living outside major urban centers. This contrasts sharply with the experience of survivors in Ireland, like Ms. Adaser's twin brother, who received his compensation quickly and without similar anxieties.

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It's actually quite difficult to engage with the redress scheme itself. You have to be computer literate for starters. The portal system they have there, is not very informative, doesn't give you a lot of information at all.

RTÉ News brings this critical issue to the forefront, emphasizing the urgent need for "Philomena's Law" to be enacted. The law, named after survivor Philomena Lee, aims to ensure that survivors in the UK can receive their rightful compensation without fear of losing essential benefits. The campaign underscores the ongoing struggle for justice and dignity for a generation deeply wronged.

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He claimed his compensation - got it within weeks. And I think that's why he's feeling so aggrieved on my behalf, because we endured the same degree of abuse as very young children in Ireland's mother-and-baby institutions. But while he is sitting pretty with his little bit of compensation, I'm over in the UK too terrified to apply for mine.