SURVIVORS of the London bombings who suffered horrific injuries will be paid compensation within weeks, Tony Blair promised yesterday. Victims of the July 7 attacks are yet to receive a penny in compensation.

The Prime Minister said he would investigate reports that they, and relatives of the 52 who died, have not yet received financial help. “I’ll look into this myself,” he said on the BBC’s Sunday AM programme.

The anxiety of some victims increased after reports suggested that they may have to wait even longer for cash from the body responsible for compensation. “Well, I think what is going to happen now is that over the next couple of weeks those payments are going to be made,” Mr Blair said.

“Given those stories that are there today I’ll look into this obviously myself — but I’m sure that they’ll make the payments as soon as they possibly can.”

The four bombings resulted in injuries to hundreds of people travelling on the three Tube trains and a bus. Martine Wright, a victim of the Aldgate bomb, lost both her legs and in a Sunday newspaper said she was frantic about how she would pay bills that had accumulated while she was in hospital.

She also told The News of the World that she had no idea how she would meet the cost of adapting her home. “Victims shouldn’t have to fight for compensation. I’ve enough to worry about learning how to walk again. This is an extra burden,” she said.

Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, was put in charge of helping the victims. On July 19, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, said he had set aside £10 million for them.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said: “We are working as fast as we can and we’ll be making our first interim payments within two or three weeks.”

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