Manchester Arena attack survivor says terrorism impact 'continues for years'

A survivor of the Manchester Arena attack has said the impact of terrorism "continues for years".

Paul Price was speaking at a ceremony in central London for the inaugural National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism.

He was left with catastrophic injuries and spent months in hospital after the 2017 Manchester bombing, in which his partner Elaine McIver was killed along with 21 other people.

Campaigners have also claimed it is a "national scandal" that terror attack victims are still being "mistreated and neglected".

The day focused on remembering and recognising those impacted by terrorism, and Andy Burnham also spoke at the ceremony to honour victims and survivors.

Mr Price told the event that "terrorism does not end when the emergency services leave the scene".

He said: "It continues for years in hospital wards, in empty chairs at the dinner table, in children growing up without parents, and in survivors who must relearn how to inhabit their own bodies".

Thelma Stober, who lost her leg in the July 7 London bombings in 2005, also suggested better medical and financial support for victims was needed.

She suffered from headaches for years which were initially diagnosed as migraines, before shrapnel was found during a brain scan in 2019.

Ms Stober said: "I'm doing it privately now, I can, I am in the position where I can do that - but what about the many others who are going through the same or similar?

"What about the families who lost loved ones, what support do they have?"

The group Survivors Against Terror (SAT), founded in 2018, has put forward a "survivors charter" based on support offered in other countries.

It claims the state is failing in areas such as financial assistance, compensation, access to legal advice and recognition of victims.

Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, co-authored a report by the group.

The report claims the Ministry of Justice has "delivered no substantial progress" and that "survivors of attacks are having their lives and recovery made harder".

"It remains a national scandal that survivors of attacks are being mistreated and neglected in this way."

Mr Burnham said the government would look at reforming the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) - where terrorism victims are required to seek compensation - and access to legal assistance.

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The prime minister told attendees: "We will fight for you. The government I lead will fight for you too. And I'm sure all of the politicians in the room would say the same."

A government spokesperson said victims deserve access to "financial compensation and support".

They highlighted that the CICA paid out more than £180m last year to violent crime victims, including terrorism, and pointed to a £550m investment in wider victim support services.

A dedicated support service has also been launched for terror attack survivors, which provides specialist assistance and help with the compensation process.

(c) Sky News 2026: Manchester Arena attack survivor says terrorism impact 'continues for years'