The High Court has ruled the five are entitled to payments after contracting the lung disease, which can be caused by coal dust.
The claims, which are backed by the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM), have dragged on for seven years.
Each of the five will now be paid between £5,000 and £12,000.
Smokers get less
But British Coal has only been liable for exposure to coal dust which they could have prevented.
Those who smoked were awarded less than non-smokers.
But for some the settlement comes too late, and there are currently 2,000 outstanding claims from miners' widows.
Earlier this year more than 5,000 Scottish miners received pay-outs of about £50,000 each after contracting lung diseases from exposure to coal dust.
Industry experts believe the final pay-out to former miners could be £2bn.
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
England
Emphysema factfile
(24 Sep 99 | Medical notes)
Scottish miners win pay-out
(23 Jun 99 | UK)
'About time' for miners' record payout
(26 Mar 99 | UK)
Record payout for sick miners
(26 Mar 99 | UK)
Department of Trade and Industry
Emphysema Online Support Group
World Coal Institute
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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