A Suffolk man affected by Hepatitis C after receiving infected blood has said he is "dubious" about an £11.8 billion compensation package announced in the budget.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed on Tuesday that the compensation would go to approximately 30,000 people infected with Hepatitis C and HIV after being given contaminated blood from the US.

Newmarket man Raymond Griffiths, 72, was one of those infected after receiving a blood transfusion while undergoing heart surgery, but questioned whether the money would be enough to compensate all those affected and how long the pay-out would take to arrive.

He said: "I am a bit dubious about any government statements at this time and they have put £11.8 billion aside, but when you think about the amount of people that were affected or infected - I am an infected man - it isn't that much.

"It seems a lot, but when you divide it by all the people that were affected or infected. All of my family have more to come. My wife and children all qualify for some nibble at this."

Former HGV driver Mr Griffiths was only diagnosed with Hep C - a virus usually spread through blood-to-blood contact - some 30 years later.

But the result was that he had to forfeit his role as an HGV driver as the painkillers he was taking made him feel unsafe on the road, instead taking a job in the yard of his employer John Henry Civil Engineering.

He said the illness also cost him his marriage and has left him taking medication for the rest of his life.

He also asked why an initial 20 people were set to receive compensation by the end of 2024 when there were "many thousands" awaiting payments.

"There is no transparency on dates, times and how much. Everything they say is 'we are working at pace'. By the end of 2024 they will start the payment to 20 people out of how many thousands?

"They are hanging on to the money as long as they can. If they are working at pace, I would hate to see them in reverse. It is disgraceful.

"I am one of the fortunate ones. I am still here. How many people have to die before they receive justice?" Mr Griffiths asked.

READ MORE: Infected blood scandal: victims react to final report