Royal British Legion calls for an end to unjust benefits system in new campaign
The Royal British Legion launches "Credit their Service", a campaign demanding an end to the treatment of military compensation as income by welfare benefit means tests, which results in veterans and their families missing out on thousands of pounds a year.
150,000 veterans and their families receive compensation awarded by the government for the pain and loss they endured in service to HM Armed Forces. This compensation is considered income when determining eligibility for many benefits, while civil compensation awarded by courts, such as personal injury or medical negligence compensation, is exempt.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit offers a lifeline for those over State Pension Age whose income is below the minimum amount the UK Government says you need to live on.
One million UK veterans were over 65 in the 2021 Census, and an estimated 146,000 were eligible for Pension Credit. By treating military compensation awards as income, some of our poorest veterans and their families are pushed beyond the threshold for Pension Credit, missing out on thousands of pounds of support that civilians can access.
Local benefits
This problem extends beyond national support and includes benefits paid out by local Councils, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payments, and Disabled Facilities Grants.
RBL estimates that over 10,000 local benefit awards per year involve military compensation, whilst four in five (80%) British councils treat this as income.
Key Stats
- 150,000 veterans and their families receive compensation awarded by the government for the pain and loss they endured in service to HM Armed Forces.
- One million veterans were over 65 in the 2021 Census, and an estimated 146,000 were eligible for Pension Credit.
- RBL estimates that over 10,000 local benefit awards per year involve military compensation, whilst four in five (80%) British councils treat this as income.
In 2011, the UK Government pledged the Armed Forces Covenant, a promise which states that those who serve or have served should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of services. The Royal British Legion believes that this policy breaks this promise.
We call on councils to use discretionary powers to make sure that they do not treat compensation as income for local support.
We urge the UK Government to amend benefit regulations ensuring that military compensation is not considered income by means tests.
Have you been impacted by unfair means tests?
If you have applied for any benefits while receiving Armed Forces compensation, we would like to hear from you.
Sharing your experiences will help us to end this unfair treatment of the Armed Forces community. Please click here to fill out a short survey telling us about your experiences.
Alternatively, you can email us at: publicaffairs@britishlegion.org.uk.