Asbestos – a naturally occurring fibrous mineral – was used extensively in industry and construction throughout the 20th century across the United Kingdom until it was banned in 1999. Exposure to asbestos puts you at more risk of developing an asbestos-related disease later in life.
Anyone exposed to asbestos at any point in their life is at a higher risk of developing an asbestos-related lung disease than someone who isn’t.
From the early 1920s through to the mid-1980s, asbestos was used widely across the UK in industry and construction. Hundreds of thousands of skilled workers and labourers were exposed to asbestos in their working lives.
The National Asbestos Helpline provides support and assistance to as many people affected by asbestos as we can, and as often as possible we find out if someone can claim compensation for their exposure to asbestos.