Two years on, the 7/7 victims still waiting for compensation

More than 120 claims are still to be settled despite repeated promises by Tony Blair and other ministers that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) would deal with the payouts speedily.

Danny Biddle, the last survivor of the atrocity to leave hospital after losing both legs and one eye, has only received an interim payment so far.

He said: "I think our system is absolutely disgraceful. The CICA people sit in an ivory tower and number-crunch. They don't actually come into contact with people.

"They don't care about feelings. They just think 'how much can we save on that person."

Martine Wright, who lost both her legs above the knee, received an interim payment in 2005 but nothing since.

She said: "Up until now we have not received anything else. It is disgraceful."

An investigation by the Mail's sister paper, the Evening Standard, suggests those most seriously maimed in the four explosions are the most likely to be still waiting for compensation, as their cases are too complex for the system to deal with quickly.

At the current rate it will take until February next year at the earliest to sort out all payments - almost three years after the suicide bombers killed 52 innocent people and injured hundreds of others.

The findings reveal:

A total of 127 cases are still to be resolved - almost a quarter of the 583 applications received so far. Of these, 88 have received interim payments.

The average payout is just £7,350, with bereaved relatives receiving as little as £5,500.

•The highest payout so far is £152,050 - far short of the £500,000 maximum possible under the government scheme.

According to figures provided by the CICA, almost £4 million has now been paid out.

Mr Biddle, 28, from Upminster, has so far received £118,000 - £55,000 for each leg lost plus £8,000 for the loss of one eye, injuries he suffered when Mohammad Sidique Khan, the 7/7 ringleader, blew himself up on the Tube at Edgware Road.

Payments for loss of earnings and other injuries - he also lost his spleen - are still to be assessed. CICA only pays for a maximum of three injuries and each of these is assessed on a sliding scale - claimants receive only 30 per cent of the tariff for a second injury and 15 per cent for a third - so Mr Biddle's lost eye is worth just £8,000, or 30 per cent of the maximum £25,000 available for such an injury.

His lawyers are arguing with CICA over whether he should be compensated for his spleen and for mental trauma.

Mr Biddle said: "CICA say you cannot claim for a mental disorder.

"Ideally what I would like is to take somebody from CICA and show them a photo of the body parts I had to lie among and then let them try and tell me I don't suffer from nightmares.

Colin Ettinger, the lawyer representing Ms Wright, who has received £110,000 for the loss of her legs, said: "The time taken to resolve these cases is simply inexcusable. CICA has had long enough to resolve the cases."

The authority, which is staffed by the Home Office, defended the system and insisted cases were being assessed as speedily as possible.

A spokesman said: "In the small number of cases yet to be decided, this is because we are still waiting for further information which we are actively pursuing in order to resolve cases as quickly as possible.

"The CICA is still receiving applications - 19 since 1 January - but has nonetheless paid a full or interim award to 94 per cent of eligible claimants. Since the beginning of this year we have paid out over £870,000."