Veterans' care angers ex-chief of defence

THE GOVERNMENT is breaking the military covenant with unfair rules that leave wounded veterans forced to pay for their own care, a former Chief of the Defence Staff has said.

Lord Richards of Herstmonceux called on the Government to overhaul a system labelled “profoundly unfair” by one military charity.

More than 60 MPs have signed up to a Royal British Legion campaign protesting at Government rules under which those hurt before April 2005 must use war pensions to pay for council care while those hurt at a later date are covered by a different scheme in which their payouts are protected.

Lord Richards said: “I believe the current situation represents a breach of the military covenant.

“It cannot be right to discriminate against an injured veteran in the area of social care. This is an anomaly that could potentially affect over 100,000 veterans. It is unfair and must be addressed.”

Under Government guidelines, which are followed by almost 90 per cent of local authorities, councils can treat nearly all of a war pension given to veterans injured before April 6, 2005 as income which must be used to pay for care.

Payouts to veterans given compensation under the later Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are protected.

The Royal British Legion says the two-tier system is “profoundly unfair” and has begun the “Insult to Injury” campaign to try to get the Government to protect war pensions.

Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, said: “It’s unfair and it’s about saying these people have a special case.

“There is a cost to it, but these people have been prepared to pay the ultimate cost. It’s about how much we value those who have served for us.”