Former Lambeth Council plumber awarded £720,000 settlement after authority admits asbestos exposure

A former Lambeth Council plumber has received a £720,000 settlement after the council admitted exposing him to asbestos during his time working for the authority, according to the law firm Leigh Day.

The man — identified in legal papers only as Paul — was employed by Lambeth Council from 1977 to 1986, initially as a “fitter’s mate” and later carrying out plumbing work.

During this period he was involved in installing and repairing heating and ventilation systems in council-owned properties, which included stripping asbestos lagging from water tanks and pipework and replacing asbestos gaskets.

He regularly worked in confined service ducts on the Stockwell Garden Estate that were filled with asbestos-lagged pipes.

The exposure continued into the 1980s as he worked with asbestos insulation boards, flue pipes and rope seals, often without protection.

Decades later, in 2024, Paul was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. Before his diagnosis he had been working as a school caretaker but began experiencing shortness of breath two years earlier.

Following his diagnosis, Paul pursued legal action with the help of solicitors at Leigh Day, who say Lambeth Council ultimately admitted it had exposed him to asbestos and accepted responsibility for his illness.

As part of the settlement the council agreed to pay £720,000 and also provided for the possibility of additional compensation should Paul require private medical treatment in the future.

According to Leigh Day, the settlement also takes into account the care needs of Paul’s wife, who is registered disabled and had previously been cared for by him.