The majority of people with haemophilia infected with hepatitis C by NHS blood products have seen their family or social life suffer, suggests a poll.

Around 5,000 people with haemophilia were infected after receiving blood clotting concentrates tainted with the virus during treatment.

They needed the clotting agents because their blood does not clot naturally.

A survey conducted by the Haemophilia Society found that 73% reported problems.

The findings were unveiled on Tuesday in the House of Lords.

More than 20% were unable to work, and almost half had to cut down work or give it up altogether.

Almost 50% said that their earnings had decreased or failed to rise since they were diagnosed.

Some were also unable to get life insurance (40%), travel insurance to go on holiday (17%), a pension (11%) or a mortgage (14%).

Financial help

Lord Morris of Manchester, a health minister under Labour between 1974 and 1979 and president of the Haemophilia Society, called on the government to provide financial assistance for this group of people.

The society wants the government to establish a central fund to offer people "recompense" payments.

A spokesman for the Haemophilia Society said: "Between 1969 and 1985, 95% of people with haemophilia contracted hepatitis C or the HIV virus from contaminated blood products on the NHS.

"Those with HIV have been given financial assistance but there has been no payment for the 4,865 who got hepatitis C.

"Asides from the medical costs, this shows there is a financial impact on this group."

The contaminated clotting agents were made from human plasma. Since the problem was discovered at the end of the 1980s supplies have been screened for viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C.

However, there is still a concern that they may contain other potentially dangerous infections, such as vCJD.

Haemophilia affects men, although women can be carriers of the disease, which is an inherited genetic disorder.

Hepatitis C leads to chronic liver disease in an estimated 80% of people infected.

Up to 25% risk cirrhosis of the liver and 1-5% risk developing liver cancer.

Financial assistance schemes operate in Canada and the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Spain and Sweden.

A total of 93 patients in Oxford and Sheffield took part in the anonymous survey.