On this page you will find information about:
- Eligibility for those who are currently serving and their families.
- Criteria for support for ex-service personnel and their dependants.
- Eligibility for other people in the Armed Forces community.
The Royal British Legion is here to help members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families since 1921, and we're not going anywhere.
In addition to those who are or have served, the carers and dependants of are eligible for help and support from the Royal British Legion (RBL). We can support individuals from a wide range of experiences and locations, including the UK and overseas.
Who is eligible for support?
Our support begins after just one day's pay for those who are or have served in the British Armed Forces.
|
Criteria |
Eligible for support? |
|
Currently serving personnel |
Yes |
|
Veterans and ex-service personnel |
Yes |
|
Spouses / Partners of those who are or have served |
Yes |
|
Spouses / Partners bereaved of a service person or veteran |
Yes |
|
Ex-spouses / Partners of a service person or veteran |
Yes |
|
Those who are dependent on care from a beneficiary, including adults and children |
Yes |
|
Someone that a beneficiary depends on for care |
Yes |
Please read the information below for the full list of criteria.
Currently serving and ex-service personnel
Those whose criteria fits that listed below are considered eligible for support.
- Currently serving and ex-service personnel who have received one day of pay.
- Those who are currently serving or have served as a Reserve or Auxiliary personnel.
- Those who have served with the Mercantile Marine afloat in hostile waters.
- Currently serving or previous full-time members of Allied Civil Police Forces.
- Those entitled to the campaign medal issued to the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force to those giving them direct support or under their command.
- Any member of Voluntary Aid Societies who has served full-time and in uniform in direct support of the United Kingdom Armed Forces.
- Any British subject (by birth or otherwise) who has served one day in the Forces of an Allied nation during hostilities and received one day of pay from that nation.
- Any British subject (by birth or otherwise) who served in a resistance organisation of an Allied nation during hostilities in which the United Kingdom Armed Forces were engaged.
- Any person who served in the Home Guard for at least six months, or in a Bomb and Mine Disposal Unit for at least three months.
- Any person who was awarded the Defence Medal in respect of service in the Home Guard or in a Bomb and Mine Disposal Unit.
Family members, dependents and carers
Anyone who is a dependent of eligible beneficiaries listed above could also receive help and support from the Royal British Legion.
A dependent is defined as, but not limited to:
- Any Spouse or ex-Spouse of a beneficiary.
- Any person who is financially dependent on a beneficiary.
- Any person who is dependent for care from a beneficiary, or the spouse of a beneficiary. This includes adults or children.
- Any person whom a beneficiary is dependent on for care.
- Spouses and Partners bereaved or a serving person or veteran.
More information about eligibility
Can I get help if I live in Scotland?
If you live in Scotland you may be eligible for support from PoppyScotland.
The charity provides a range of support to the Armed Forces community in Scotland, including financial, employment, mobility, housing and mental health.
Can I access help from the RBL if I am serving with or have served with the Brigade of Gurkhas?
Past and present members of the Brigade of Gurkhas and their families are eligible for help from the RBL in the same way as any other member of the UK Armed Forces.
You must be a legal resident of the UK, so you may be asked for evidence, such as a visa or other documentation from the UK Border Agency.
We can help you if you are waiting the outcome of an appeal for residency, but again, documentation may need to be provided to prove your circumstances.
United Kingdom Residency
You are eligible for UK residency if you are a former member of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and you served for more than four years. You can apply for 'Indefinite leave to enter the UK' through the Gurkhas Settlement Office in Nepal. They will provide you with a National Insurance number before moving to the UK. This will give you access to public funds and services on your arrival.
If you have already arrived in the UK and do not have a National Insurance number there are ways that you can recover it.
Learn more about recovering your lost National Insurance Number online on the GOV.UK website.
As a Gurkha, you do not have to satisfy the usual Habitual Residence Test when you move to the UK. Therefore, you have immediate access to income-related benefits providing you meet their general entitlement conditions.
Getting Help from the Royal British Legion
Contact us directly or talk to the Brigade of Gurkhas Welfare Support Office who will put you in touch with the relevant services.
The Brigade of Gurkhas can arrange for a Nepalese speaker to visit you if necessary to help with communication, so you get the help you need.
Visit the Gurkhas Welfare Trust website to contact their team.
Can I get help if I am living overseas?
The eligibility criteria for those living overseas is the same as for those living in the UK. However, you will need to ensure that any legal registrations required by your new country of residence have been satisfied. This registration process will often qualify you for state health or social services.
For example in Spain, residents are required to register with their local police station within three months, and register with their local padron for access to public services.
Our assistance cannot be provided in cases where legal registration requirements have not been met. This is to ensure that access to public services can be maximised before resorting to charitable funds.
Find out more about our support programmes for those who are overseas here on our website.
I served with the Voluntary Aid Societies, am I eligible for support?
If you have served in one of the Voluntary Aid Societies listed below, you may be eligible for support from the Royal British Legion. You must have served full time and in uniform, in direct support of the UK Armed Forces.
- British Red Cross
- St John Ambulance Association
- St Andrew's Ambulance Association
- Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs)
- First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY)
- YMCA
- Expeditionary Forces Institutes
- Naval Canteen Service (Afloat)
- Salvation Army
- Society of Friends Field Ambulance Service
- Sea Transport Service
- Air Transport Auxiliary
- Royal Observer Corps - have to be in uniform and full-time employment
- Unexploded Bomb Units (for at least three months)
- Home Service Force
- Women’s Voluntary Service
- Home Guard (for at least six months)
- Polish Resettlement Corps (naturalised British citizens living in the UK)
Are non-UK nationals who are serving / served with the UK Armed Forces eligible for support?
Yes, anyone who has served in the UK Armed Forces for at least one day is eligible for our support, both in the UK and overseas.
I served / am serving with the Reserves / Auxiliary services, am I elgible for support?
You are eligible for support from us if you are serving or have served in one of the reserve and auxiliary services listed below. You must have received a days' pay and be 16 years or over.
- Royal Naval Reserve
- Women's Royal Naval Reserve
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
- Women's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
- Royal Marine Reserve (formally Royal Marine Forces Volunteer Reserve)
- Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve
- Royal Naval Special Reserve (RNSR and Special List)
- Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve
- Royal Naval Emergency Reserve
- Royal Marine Emergency Reserve
- Territorial Army
- Army Emergency Reserve
- Territorial Army Emergency Reserve
- Supplementary Reserve of Officers
- Supplementary Reserve
- Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corp (TA)
- Auxiliary Territorial Service
- Women's Royal Army Corps (TA)
- Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve
- Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (AVR)
- Women's Royal Army Corps (T&AVR)
- Royal Auxiliary Air Force
- Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, or
- Military Hospitals Reserve (Ex-Home Hospital Reserve).
I identify as LGBTQIA+ and am serving / served will the UK Armed Forces, will the RBL offer me support?
Yes, anyone who has served in the UK Armed Forces for at least one day is eligible for our support.
Get in touch with us
If you are unsure whether you are eligible for support, or what support you could access please get in touch with our team using the contact details below.
To find out more about the support the RBL could offer you, contact us via
Telephone: 0808 802 8080
Telephone overseas: +44 (0)20 3376 8080
Calls are free
from UK landlines and main mobile networks
Email: [email protected]
What help does the RBL offer?
We provide a wide range of help to the Armed Forces community. From recovery to care, and from employment support to tribunal representation, if you don't know which service you need, please get in touch with our team, who can help you figure out what support you are eligible for.
Learn more about the support the RBL could provide you with.
