Cases of alleged double-charging first emerged in South Yorkshire

Tens of thousands of ex-pit workers are in line for payouts as part of a drive to confront lawyers who ripped-off claimants for mining-related illnesses.

The move is based on a trial in South Yorkshire which has uncovered more than 300 cases of alleged double-charging by solicitors to the tune of �200,000.

Ministers have now backed the national roll-out of the Rother Valley pilot.

Scores of miners have already received settlements with the help of the Legal Complaints Service (LCS), but the national roll-out is expected to produce tens of thousands more claims.

There are many thousands more people out there who will now get the opportunity to have their case investigated and receive money back Kevin Barron, Rother Valley MP

The LCS estimates 10% of the 750,000 beneficiaries of the Coal Health Compensation Scheme may have been improperly charged by their solicitors.

It is now drawing up plans to write to up to 500,000 former miners alerting them to the fact they could have had money wrongly taken from their compensation.

The largest payout so far in the South Yorkshire community has been �3,500, the average is �450.

Labour MP Kevin Barron, one of the key figures in the Rother Valley scheme, said: "It's been a slow process, but this has been a major breakthrough and justice is now being done.

"There are many thousands more people out there who will now get the opportunity to have their case investigated and receive money back."

Those with suspicions will be advised to contact their solicitor requesting the money back.

Respiratory diseases

The majority of lawyers now realise "the game is up" and are volunteering the cash on request, according to those involved in the project.

But cases in which the solicitor refuses to return to the money will be arbitrated by the LCS.

Billions of pounds have been paid out under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme to former miners suffering from respiratory diseases and conditions such as vibration white finger.

But there has been anger for several years that many have been denied their full payouts because solicitors have charged for legal services which are already covered by the government.

Under the Rother Valley pilot, however, ex-miners were personally invited, in writing, to investigate their payouts with the help of Mr Barron and the LCS.