If you have an illness or injury, either caused or aggravated by Service in the Armed Forces before 6th April, 2005 then you may be able to make a claim for a War Pension.
If your illness or injury was caused by service on or after 6th April 2005 you can make a claim through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
Learn more about the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme here on the RBL website.
If you are no longer serving and suffered an injury or illness as a result of your service in the Armed Forces before 6 April 2005, you can make a claim under the War Pension Scheme.
Under the scheme you can make a claim for any injury or illness which was caused or made worse by your service. This can include minor injuries such as fractures or more serious conditions including amputations and mental health problems.
You do not need to have served in a conflict, and there is no time limit on making a claim, but you cannot make a claim until you have left the service.
You may also be entitled to a War Disablement Pension if you were injured or disabled:
- While serving in the Merchant Navy, the Coastguard Service, the Nursing Service and the Home Guard
- While serving in the Polish forces under British command during the Second World War
- While serving as a civil defence volunteer
- As a prisoner of war
- As a result of enemy action in the Second World War (as a civilian)
What is a War Pension?
A War Pension is a financial award to compensate for adverse health caused by Service. It is administered by Veterans UK and paid by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
Find out more about Veterans UK on the RBL Knowledge Base website.
Any injury, illness, or adverse health condition caused by an individuals’ time in the military can be claimed for; it does not need to have been caused by conflict, operations, or military exercises, and can include activities such as training, and recognised authorised sport.
The War Pensions Scheme is a no-fault liability scheme, which means you do not have to prove anyone was at fault or to blame for the injury. You only have to show that your injury or condition was caused or made worse by Service.
Find out more about War Pensions, the eligibility criteria and how to apply on GOV.UK.
What is a War Widow(er)s Pension?
War Widow(er)s Pensions allow married and civil partners of Service Personnel who have died as a result of their service in HM Armed Forces, or during time of war to make a claim.
Find out more about War Widow(er)s Pensions further down this page.
What support could I receive from a War Pension?
The type of support that you could receive will depend on the level of disability that you are living with. There are two main types of support offered:
- a gratuity is a lump sum payment for disablement less than 20%, and
- a pension is an ongoing payment paid weekly or monthly for disablement of more than 20%.
Read the rules of the War Pensions Scheme to find out more on GOV.UK.
War Pension Payment Changes, September 2015
As part of a wider Government programme, as of September 2015, Veterans UK changed the way they deposit payments for War Pensions to their customers.
Instead of paying into Post Office Card Accounts (POCA), they now transfer by Direct Payment into a chosen bank or building society account for each customer.
Direct Payment into a bank or building society account is the most efficient, secure and reliable way of receiving benefit or pension payments.
It gives customers more control over when and where they access their money, and may offer additional benefits such as reduced utility bills when paying by Direct Debit. Customers may find it easier to manage monthly payments of rent and utility bills.
Veterans UK contacted its customers to benefit from these advantages and to offer assistance to those who might have questions or require further information about receiving their payments into a bank or building society account.
Find out more about Veterans UK on the RBL Knowledge Base website.
How to apply for a War Pension
You can apply for a War Pension through the GOV.UK website or by post.
Make a claim online on the GOV.UK website.
Make a claim by post
To request a paper form you will need to contact Veterans UK via their telephone helpline or by email. You will be sent a form and a pre-paid envelope to return it.
Contact Veterans UK to make your claim via:
Telephone: 0808 191 4218
Telephone overseas: +44 (0)1253 866 043
Email: [email protected]
The service is available from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
What is War Window(er)s Pensions and how do I apply?
War Widow(er)s Pensions is paid at different rates depending on your circumstances.
If your circumstances change after you have started receiving a War Widow(er)s Pension it may affect what you receive. You will need to tell Veterans UK of any changes in your circumstances so that you can receive the correct amount.
Inform Veterans UK of a change in your circumstances on the GOV.UK website.
Eligibility
If your spouse or civil partner died as a result of their serving in HM Armed Forces or during a time of war you may be able to make a claim. They must have served before 6th April 2005.
Find out more about what you may be eligible for on GOV.UK.
Additionally, one of the following circumstances must apply to your spouse or civil partner. They must have:
- Died as result of their service in HM Armed Forces before 6 April 2005.
- Been a civil defence volunteer or a civilian and their death was a result of the 1939 to 1945 war.
- Been a merchant seaman, a member of the naval auxiliary services, or a coastguard and their death was a result of an injury or disease they got during a war or because they were a prisoner of war.
- Died as a result of their service as a member of the Polish Forces under British command during the 1939 to 1945 war, or in the Polish Resettlement Forces.
- Been getting a War Pensions Constant Attendance Allowance at the time of their death, or would have been had they not been in hospital.
- Been getting a War Disablement Pension at the 80% rate or higher and was getting Unemployability Supplement.
If your partner was injured, became ill or died as part of their service on or after 6th, April 2005, you can make a claim through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
Learn more about the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme here on the RBL website.
Additionally, Veterans UK may be able to award you a grant to cover funeral costs if the deceased was a War Pensioner.
How to claim
To make a claim for War Widow(er)s Pension you need to complete the form below and return it to Veterans UK.
Veterans UK will post the form to you with a pre-paid envelop to return it.
Return your completed form to: Veterans UK, Norcross, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 3WP
If you cannot download and print the form you can contact the Veterans UK helpline to request one.
Get in touch
Contact Veterans UK to make your claim via:
Telephone: 0808 191 4218
Telephone overseas: +44 (0)1253 866 043
Email: [email protected]
The service is available from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Appeals
If you apply, or have applied, for War Widow(er)s Pension and disagree with the decision you have the right to appeal the decision to an independent Tribunal.
Support making your application
If you would like support with making a claim you can contact the Veterans UK helpline or Veterans Welfare Service who will arrange an appointment to provide help.
Contacting Veterans UK
Contact Veterans UK to make your claim via:
Telephone: 0808 191 4218
Telephone overseas: +44 (0)1253 866 043
Email: [email protected]
The service is available from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Veterans Welfare Centres
There are four Veterans Welfare Centres across the United Kingdom. They provide advice and support to those in the community.
You can phone or email the welfare centre nearest to you, or the Veterans UK Helpline, for advice and support.
For more information on the VWS or to find your local Welfare Centre, visit the VWS GOV.UK webpage, or
Centurion (London, SE and SW England)
Telephone: 02392 702232
Email: [email protected]
Kidderminster (South and Central Wales, Midlands and East England)
Telephone: 01562 825527
Email: [email protected]
Norcross VWC (NW England, Yorkshire and Humber, North Wales and IOM)
Email: [email protected]
Glasgow (Scotland, NE England, NI and ROI)
Email: [email protected]
How we can help
If you have already made a claim and do not agree with the decision made, our experts can provide guidance and may be able to represent you at a tribunal for free, if you want to take further action.
We can also give advice about supplementary allowances linked to War Disablement Pensions, such as Mobility Supplement and Constant Attendance Allowance.
Our team of War Pension & Compensation Representatives will advise you over the phone and discuss your case, the decision made by Veterans UK and the need for further evidence if appropriate. They will also be able to explain how the Tribunal process works and what to expect at your hearing.
Please note that if your injury or illness happened on or after 6 April 2005 then your claim is assessed under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
Learn more about the Armed Forces Compensation scheme, here on the RBL website.
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]
Frequently asked questions
How is a War Pension assessed?
The War Pension Scheme is calculated on a percentage basis.
Supplementary allowances may apply if your award reaches a threshold of either 40, 60, or 80 per cent disablement.
Find out more about how War Pensions are assessed on the GOV.UK website.
When should I make claim a for a War Pension?
You must wait until your discharge date before applying for a War Pension. After then, you should try to submit the claim promptly. There is no time limit for submitting a claim for a War Pension, but if your claim is submitted within seven years of your discharge date, the responsibility will be on the MOD to prove that the injury was not caused by Service.
If you submit your claim seven years after the discharge date, the responsibility is on you to show that your injury can be attributed to Service.
What happens when I submit my application?
When Veterans UK receive your application for a War Pension, they will obtain your Service records, medical records and any other relevant notes. They first have to satisfy themselves that it was Service in the Armed Forces that caused or worsened your condition.
Read more about Veterans UK on the RBL Knowledge Base website.
If that is the case, they will then assess the severity of your injury/illness, and the extent to which it has impacted your life. They will then make a decision about whether you are entitled to a War Pension, and how much you will get.
Often a medical examination will be arranged by a doctor appointed by Veterans UK.
How long will my claim take?
Veterans UK can take up to six months to process a War Pension claim.
Appealing against a War Pension decision
If your claim for a War Pension is rejected, or you are unhappy with your award, you have the right to appeal.
Your appeal must be submitted within 12 months of the date of the decision.
Constant Attendance Allowance - further support for those who need daily care and attention because of a disability
If you already receive a War Disablement Pension or Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits and need daily care because of your disability, you may be eligible for Constant Attendance Allowance (CAA).
There are different rates of financial support and how much you could receive will depend on the extent of your disability and how much care you need.
You can claim CAA at the same time as Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance.
Learn more about eligibility and making a claim for Constant Attendance Allowance on GOV.UK.
Armed Forces Pensions
As someone who is currently or has previously served with HM Armed Forces, you may be entitled to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.
Read more about Armed Forces pensions on GOV.UK.
If you would like to know how much you are entitled to you can use the GOV.UK calculator or submit a form.
Other support you could be entitled to
Ex-service personnel
As someone who has served with HM Armed Forces there is a variety of support that you may be entitled to. This includes:
- access to Health Services, Priority Treatment for Veterans
- help with NHS charges
- prescription Exemption Certificates
- dental treatment
- eye tests and glasses
- hearing aids
- travelling expenses
- wheelchairs
- home nursing equipment
- Home Adaptation Grant (HAG): England, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Home Adaptation Grant (HAG): Wales
- convalescence care,
- remedial treatment.
Read more about support that you may be eligible for on the GOV.UK website.
Someone living with a long-term disability or health condition
As someone who is living with a disability or long-term condition, you may be entitled to further support.
Read more about financial support that you could be eligible for here on the RBL website:
