A CAMPAIGN has been launched to alter a legal situation which leaves families of York asbestos victims thousands of pounds worse off than their counterparts in Glasgow.

Thompsons, one of the UK's leading claimant personal injury law firms, is demanding equality for families affected by asbestos in England and Wales, after it emerged they are treated much more badly than families in Scotland.

The firm says in England and Wales the level of compensation is set at £10,000 by the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, and is only payable to the spouse.

But, only a few miles over the border, payments of up to £30,000 have been made to bereaved widows.

The level of bereavement payments is decided by the courts, which look at each individual case on its merits, and which can also order compensation of between £10,000 and £15,000 to children, siblings, grandchildren, parents and common law partners.

Scores of former York Carriageworks employees have fallen victim to the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma over the years.

Kim Daniells, a solicitor with the York firm Corries and founder of a support group for York victims of asbestos, said the differences between the law in England and Scotland would be raised at a forthcoming group meeting.

"We recognise the discrepancy between English and Scottish law on bereavement awards," she said.

"The English award is fixed by statute and awarded only to spouses. The Scottish system is more flexible, and reflects the devastating effect of asbestos disease on families and communities.

"We believe that the English system needs to be changed to bring the awards into line with Scotland.

"In England, bereavement awards are paid by the defendants in a successful claim, but are fixed by law. They do not only apply to mesothelioma cases, but also to fatal accident claims."

She said Corries had offices in both Glasgow and York, adding: "We find ourselves in a position where some clients can recover substantially more by way of the bereavement award than others, simply because of where they live and where they were exposed to asbestos."

Thompsons' head of asbestos policy, Ian McFall, said: "The law must be changed to ensure families in England and Wales are entitled to the same level of compensation for bereavement as the equivalent family in Scotland.

"Any imbalance is unjust and cannot continue."

He claimed £10,000 was a "derisory sum" for the grief caused by the death of a close family member.

Mr McFall said: "Whole families suffer terribly when they lose a loved one to mesothelioma.

"They carry the emotional burden with them the rest of their lives."