Council decision on compensation for veterans welcomed
PART OF MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS
HELP for Heroes has hailed the decision of Rushmoor Borough Council to revise its policies to ensure all military compensation paid to war veterans is disregarded as income when applying for means-tested benefits.
The recommendations from the council’s overview and scrutiny committee at a recent meeting were “to revise the current policy as far as possible so that war pension payments, payments under the armed forces compensation scheme, service invaliding pensions or service attributable pensions are disregarded when assessing eligibility for Disabled Facilities Grants …”
And the recommendation was agreed by the council’s cabinet.
A Disabled Facilities Grant helps the beneficiary to adapt their home to make it suitable for a disabled person.
Help for Heroes believes the change is essential to help put money back into the pockets of vulnerable veterans during the cost-of-living crisis, and it is one of several key policy asks the charity is campaigning for with local councils across the country.
The charity’s head of communications and public affairs, Andy JohnsonCreek, explained: “Military compensation payments are made to veterans in recognition of the pain and disablement that their service injury or illness has caused them.
“As such, it is distinct from other forms of income replacement or disablement benefit. Veterans should not be disadvantaged in accessing the civilian benefits system because of it.
“Rushmoor Borough Council signed its Armed Forces Community Covenant with the Aldershot Garrison – the home of the British Army – in 2012, as an agreement to work together to honour the national covenant, and it’s refreshing to see that officials haven’t regarded it as a mere gesture or box-ticking exercise.
“They are committed to making a difference for our veterans and we hope they have set an example for other local authorities to follow.”
Rushmoor Borough
Council’s cabinet champion for the military, Councillor Nem Thapa, said: “Rushmoor, and Aldershot in particular, have a positive and enduring relationship with the Armed Forces and we’re keen to make sure we continue that mutually supportive relationship long into the future with both serving soldiers and veterans.
“Our cabinet felt strongly that any military compensation paid to veterans should not be treated as a form of income for any means tested benefits.”
Around 150,000 members of the Armed Forces community receive military compensation in the UK, paid by the government to support with the ongoing costs of an illness or injury acquired in service to the UK Armed Forces.
The Royal British Legion’s ‘Credit their Service’ campaign has also demanded an end to the treatment of military compensation as income, which results in veterans and their families missing out on thousands of pounds a year.
Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps them live well after service. The charity helps them, and their families, to recover and get on with their lives. It has already supported more than 30,000 people and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.
The charity supports veterans, and their families, from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians (and their families) who worked alongside our Armed Forces.
To get support, visit helpforheroes. org.uk.