Veterans

• 01. Introduction

• Veterans are people who have served in the armed forces, and their dependants (usually their husband or wife, partner or children). This leaflet explains veterans' rights to financial and other types of support, and where to get advice and help with that...

• 02. What financial help can I get?

• As a veteran, you can get two basic types of pension: a war disablement pension, which you can receive if you were injured or disabled when serving in the armed forces; and a service pension, which is a work-related pension, and depends on how much...

• 03. Who can receive a war disablement pension?

• If you were injured or disabled when serving in the armed forces, you may be able to get a war disablement pension, which is paid by the Veterans Agency. Your illness, injury or disability does not need to have occurred in active service or during war, and...

• 04. Who can receive a service pension?

• A service pension is an occupational (work-related) pension paid by the armed forces. You normally have to have served in the forces for a certain number of years to get a service pension. The number varies depending on when you left the services. It is...

• 05. Can I claim compensation if I have been injured in service?

• You can claim compensation from the Ministry of Defence if you have been injured and it was the fault (or partly the fault) of the Ministry of Defence. If you are a dependant (a child, partner or husband or wife, for example) of a serviceman or woman who has...

• 06. What if I need help finding somewhere to live?

• The Ministry of Defence and ex-Service welfare organisations can help with your housing needs before, during and after you are discharged. If you are homeless or think you might become homeless, you should seek housing advice as early as possible. You can...

• 07. How can I claim my medals from my time in service?

• In many cases, you will have received the campaign medals awarded to you while you were still in the armed forces, because you must wear them for ceremonial duties and other functions. However, you may have left the armed forces before your medal was given...

• 08. How can I get hold of my service record?

• You may need to get hold of personal information held by the forces for many reasons, including: to prove you were in the services; for medical reasons; or because you are researching your family history. If you are a former serviceman or woman...

• 09. How can I return to where I served overseas in the Second World War?

• If you served in the Second World War, a new scheme called Veterans Reunited can help you return to where you served. The Veterans Reunited scheme has been set up by the Big Lottery Fund to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World...

• 10. Further Help

• Veterans Agency Phone: 0800 1692277 The website of the Veterans' Agency War Pensioners' Welfare Service This service runs a network of welfare offices. Each one is responsible for a different area. Its phone...