Pension & Welfare Topics

Our Pensions & Welfare Officer is Mr. Dave Findlay please contact him through the Arbroath Branch for any help with the following items below:

The Legion's Welfare work is famed worldwide.   Whatever the problem the Legion is always there to help.   It works closely with Government departments to provide help and advice on War Pensions; Appeals; Sheltered Housing; Employment; Financial needs; Legal problems; War Graves Pilgrimages; and Convalescence holidays.

War Disablement Pension
You can claim a War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme if you are no longer Serving in HM Armed Forces and your claimed disablement arose before 6 April 2005.
You can also claim under the War Pensions Scheme if you were;

• injured or disabled through serving in Her Majesty's (HM) Armed Forces, including The Ulster Defence Regiment, now known as the Royal Irish Regiment, the Home Guard and nursing and auxiliary services;
• a civil defence volunteer (CDV) disabled through serving as a CDV;
• a civilian disabled as a result of enemy action in the 1939 to 1945 war;
• a merchant seaman, a member of the naval auxiliary services or a coastguard, and you were disabled because of an injury you received or a disease suffered because of conditions during a war or because you were a prisoner-of war; or
• a member of the Polish Forces under British Command who served in the 1939-1945 war, or in the Polish Resettlement Forces and you were injured or disabled through this service.

Where disablement was caused by Service in HM Armed Forces on or after 6th April 2005, claims should be made under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

AFCS general information
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is the compensation package for members of the Armed Forces. It is designed to provide compensation, irrespective of fault, across the full range of circumstances in which illness, injury or death may arise as a result of service.  The legislation replaced the previous arrangements under the War Pensions Scheme and the attributable elements of AFPS 1975.
The Scheme covers all Regular (including Ghurkhas) and Reserve personnel whose injury, ill health or death is caused by service on or after 6 April 2005. For the first time compensation claims from serving personnel can be considered. Tax free lump sum awards for injury can be paid in service.

Ex-Members of the Armed Forces who served prior to 6 April 2005 or who are receiving a current War Disablement Pension or War Widows Pension are not affected by the scheme. They will continue to receive their War Pension or War Widows pension and any associated benefits in the normal way. The new scheme applies for deaths, injury or illness sustained on or after 6 April 2005.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme provides modern, fair and simple arrangements with more generous benefits for the more severely disabled. It provides compensation for significant injuries, illness and death that are caused by service including when they result from warlike incidents or terrorism. It is a 'no fault' scheme which means that individuals still have the option to sue the MoD for negligence although compensation provided by the AFCS would be considered if a court directed that damages were to be paid.
Under the terms of the scheme a lump sum is payable to Service or ex-Service personnel based on a 15-level tariff which is graduated according to the seriousness of the condition. A Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP), payable for life, will also be paid to those who could be expected to experience a significant loss of earning capacity. A GIP will also be paid to surviving partners (including unmarried and same sex partners) where the service person's death was caused by service and in the case of unmarried partners a substantial relationship can be demonstrated.

 

 

 

Related resources

Age Concern Scotland

Citizens Advice Scotland

Start Here is a self help website that will link you to a wide range of services that can help with your problems. In association with the Royal British Legion & Poppy Scotland.

Shelter Scotland

SSAFA

SVR Scottish Veterans Residences.

Veterans Scotland

Veterans UK

One website to help you this winter is as follows:

Home Heat helpline