MILITARY SERVICE
&
RESETTLEMENT
All Armed Forces personnel must serve a minimum contract of 4 years from the date of their 18th Birthday. If they wish to leave the Armed Forces, they must give 1 year's notice. Individuals may also be required to leave due to a medical discharge if they are injured.
The resettlement benefits you receive are based on your length of service and conditions of discharge:
0-4 years of service.
You’ll get access to the CTP Future Horizons programme, which includes a needs assessment, access to an online self–analysis and career profiling resource, a career planner and bespoke jobs board, and onward referral to other organisations and agencies.
4-6 years of service.
In addition to the above, the Employment Support Programme provides you with access to the Right Job career-finding service for up to two years after the end of your service. You also get access to expert briefings, the Employment Support Workshop and over 50 resettlement training centre courses.
6+ years of service or medically discharged.
The Core Resettlement Programme provides you with training grants, allowances, travel warrants, authorised resettlement absences, transition workshops, one-to-one career guidance support, subsidised vocational training support, housing advice, financial briefs and job finding support. The maximum entitlements are available after 16 years of Regular service. More details are below:
The Individual Resettlement Training Grant is a contribution to training costs that you can use for CTP training courses and external training providers. The CTP contract provides high quality discounted courses which, if eligible, you can access using £26.70 per day from your IRTC grant.
You can combine the grant with Standard or Enhanced Learning Credits payments - visit their benefit pages for more information. There are no other sources of public money available for resettlement purposes; anything beyond Individual Resettlement Training Grant, Standard or Enhanced Learning Credit funding requires a personal contribution.
Graduated Resettlement Time is an official duty allocation of time away from your place of work for resettlement purposes. It means you continue to earn your daily pay while carrying out activities for your own personal benefit. When you are on Graduated Resettlement Time you are also paid travel and subsistence.
A Resettlement Grant of up to £15,047, depending on circumstances, will be paid in your final month’s salary. You are entitled to a grant when you leave the Armed Forces as long as:
- you have served at least 12 years in the Regular Armed Forces
you are not entitled to any other immediate payments (such as an immediate pension under one of the Armed Forces Pension Schemes, ill-health benefits or Early Departure Payment)
MEDICAL TREATMENT
ADVICE / MENTORING
Medical Treatment
There are many Charities and organisations that offer help and assistance with Mental Health issues by signposting to other agencies for treatment. Veterans Gateway is the recommended help in the United Kingdom for most matters and they have put in place Op-Courage where veterans can receive Medical Help. You can also get help by visiting the Office For Veterans Affairs.
Op Courage is the NHS service that provides specialist care for those Armed Forces veterans suffering from a mental health crisis. The new service combines the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), the Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and the Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS). This means that veterans can access the most suitable level of service for them across seven regions in England.
The VeteransWelfareService (VWS), is part of Veterans UK and provides one-to-one support to veterans via a national network of welfare managers across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Phone or email the Veterans UK helpline and ask for the Welfare Service.
Northern Ireland: Veterans can access dedicated support through the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Support Office.
Scotland: veterans can access veteran-led mental health, and welfare support through Veterans First Point, part of NHS Scotland. This includes guidance from experienced Peer Support Workers.
Wales: Through the Welsh Government the NHS has a Veteran Therapist in each Local Health Board.
Physical Health For Veterans
Use the physical health section on the Veterans Gateway website for information on service related illnesses, rehabilitation, recovery and healthcare services. See expert advice from our partners including information about military medical discharge, initiatives for veterans, hearing and sight loss and more. If you suffer from an injury during your military service, it is vitally important to make sure that all of your injuries or illnesses are documented and where possible, get a copy of all medical reports and any witness statements should you wish to claim compensation or submit a claim for a war pension.
Family Support & Mentoring
SSAFA offer a huge amount of support to Single and Married Veterans and their Families, along with many other charities, we have listed them all on the Help-Information page and the Families page. Not many know that SSAFA actually offer Mentoring for Families along with many other services.
RELOCATION
HOUSING & ACCOMMODATION
Re-Location & Accommodation
Accommodation is always a contentious issue with service leavers and the same goes for their families, most currently feel there is never enough help given for housing which is the most important part of a service persons transition back to the civilian population.
Get veteran focused help and information on the different types of housing support available from the Veterans’ Gateway:
- Finding a home
- Homelessness
- Owning a home
- Renting a home
- Eviction and repossession
- Care homes and supported housing
Guidance and information on civilian housing.
Veterans’ Gateway
The Veterans’ Gateway can put veterans and their families in touch with organisations best placed to help them with the information, advice and support they need from healthcare and housing to employability, finances, personal relationships and more. The Government have just announced an £8.5M package called "Op-Fortitude" to help veterans with all issues, especially homelessness. Op-Fortitude
aims to stamp out homelessness amongst Veterans and can be accessed by calling the following number: 01748 833797
We have listed a great deal of help and information on our Housing page, it list's most Local Authority Housing organisations in the United Kingdom and also private companies who Let properties. There are a few Charities who have Emergency Accommodation and they are listed on the Housing page also but you can find additional help by visiting the following:
- Recruiting ex-services personnel
- Housing Matters magazine 2012
- Housing Matters magazine 2016
- Civilian housing briefs
- Service personnel housing: other organisations who can help
EMPLOYMENT, COURSES
EDUCATION
Employment, Courses &
Education
We have great pleasure in recommending these excellent Employment Businesses & Organisations, who are offering outstanding vacancy's and courses, allowing progression in your chosen career. Some are being run by Veterans of our Armed Forces, plus members of their families. You can access each company by following the links provided, or by just using the telephone number to speak to them directly.
Some individuals prefer to further enhance their skill's and education by going to University, you can get details about this by visiting Career Transition Partnership or the Government website for Further Education and the ECLAS website so you can use your learning credits.
Complete the Contact-Us form to add your company to the page, all donations go directly to Charity helping others & make a huge difference to their lives, you make the donation to the value of your choice. If you use one of the businesses, make sure to mention " Veterans In Need " for a great discount. We are on the Home Pages of the listed What's On In Advertising.
A Great Place to Work is the Civil Service, which aims to encourage more veterans to join them when they leave the armed forces. You can also check employment vacancies through BFRS or ExForces Jobs Network...
We have opened the recruitment
window for
Greater Manchester Police and are recruiting
Custody Detention Officers. This role is suited to veterans who don't fancy being a police officer. We look forward to seeing veterans in this intake, helping us to help vulnerable veterans...
British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) is a Social Enterprise (SE) that works in support of the Armed Forces Community (AFC). It was established in September 2009 by the company CEO Harry Dean.
Free advice and help for the Armed Forces Community (AFC).
Solutions for companies wishing to employ or work with the AFC.
T: 02476 939931
London Taxi PR (LTPR), is an organisation representing the interests of the Licensed London Taxi profession. Since its formation, London Taxi PR has undertaken a series of targeted media campaigns, used to promote the benefits, advantages, & safety of using the iconic licensed London Taxi service and studying to become a licensed London Taxi driver to a wide audience.
For more information
http://londontaxipr.com
For information about the Knowledge go to:
http://tfl.gov.uk/knowledge
YOUR COMPANY NAME
COULD APPEAR HERE
Description Of Your
Business / Company
&
The Services
You Provide
PENSION'S, BENEFITS
FINANCE
Armed Forces Pension
Those who serve for 12 years or more will receive a Half Preserved Pension payable at State pension age, and those who serve 22 years or more will receive a Full Military Pension which is paid at age 55. All pensions in the United Kingdom are subject to Income tax, and if you take up employment working beyond the age of 55, you will be taxed on your pension along with your salary. If you claim state benefits, your pension will be taken into account as a form of income. You can get the latest details regarding Armed Forces Pensions by visiting the Governments Website regarding pensions.
State Benefits (Universal Credit)
Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs, it includes the benefits below that are payable to individuals or couples. It’s paid monthly in England and Wales - or twice a month for some people in Scotland. You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or you cannot work. If you live in Northern Ireland, go to Universal Credit in Northern Ireland.
Universal Credit is replacing the following benefits and universal credits:
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- income-based
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Working Tax Credit
If you’re getting any of these benefits or tax credits, you do not need to do anything unless:
- you have a change of circumstances you need to report
- you get a letter called a ‘Migration Notice’ telling you that you must start to claim Universal Credit
You’ll stop getting these benefits and tax credits when you or your partner claims Universal Credit. If you or your partner gets Pension Credit, this will also stop if one of you claims Universal Credit. You should use the Benefits Calculator to see if you qualify for Benefits.
Compensation For Injuries / War Pension
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) compensates for any injury, illness or death which was caused by service on or after 6 April 2005.
There are 2 main types of AFCS awards:
- a tax free lump sum payment for pain and suffering
- a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) which is a tax free, index linked monthly payment.
The rules of the scheme and the value of the payments awarded are set by Parliament and are calculated by reference to a tariff of injuries.
It is entirely separate from any other personal accident cover, such as Personal Accident (PAX) or Life Insurance (LI). Any accident cover that you may already hold is not considered when determining an AFCS award.
The Scheme 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. It does not seek to affect the right to make a civil claim if you think that the injury, illness or death was caused by the Department’s negligence.
If you are no longer serving and your disablement was caused or made worse as a result of service in the armed forces before 6 April 2005, you can claim under the War Pension Scheme (WPS).
Who is eligible?
The Scheme covers all regular service personnel, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and members of the reserves for all 3 services. You can claim whether you are still serving or have left HM Armed Forces.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Free independent advice
You do not need a paid representative such as a solicitor or claims management company to apply for compensation. Free independent advice is available from the Veterans Welfare Service or other charitable organisations.
Paid representation
If you choose paid representation, we cannot meet the cost of this and you will have to pay these costs yourself. Where someone is representing you on a ‘no-win no-fee’ basis this usually means that they will keep a share of your payment to cover their fees. You may wish to check how much of your payment will go to your representative before you agree to paid representation.
Time limits for claims
Claims for injury or illness must be made within 7 years of the earliest of the following dates:
The date of the incident leading to the injury or illness.
The date on which an injury or illness not caused by service was made worse by service in the case of illness.
The date of first seeking medical advice for that illness.
The date of discharge.
While there are time limits, above all you should submit a claim for compensation at a time which is best for you. There are certain circumstances when a claim will be accepted outside the time limits above such as being prevented from claiming due to ill health or your illness occurs later. Please contact Veterans UK if you would like more advice on this.
How to make a claim
To make a claim, visit the Armed Forces Compensation and War Pension page. Visit Claim For Injuries to see what you may be entitled to.
Finance and Savings
It is vitally important to manage your finances and always stay on top of things, Banks & Financial Institutions prefer it if you stay in touch with them if you are struggling, and without a doubt, they will treat you more favourable if you keep in touch with them. Try your hardest to refrain from Gambling and if you can manage to save just a little each month, you will be able to live an enjoyable stress free life. We have Help on the Help & Information page if you do have a Gambling addiction & can also offer personal advice by getting in touch with us.
An Excellent Website to visit to get fantastic Financial Help & Information is the Citizens Advice Bureau, it is constantly being updated and if you are still a serving member of the Armed Forces, never be afraid to make an appointment with your RAOWO or RAO / Paymaster to discuss any problems or concerns, we also have help on our Finance page.
Step Change Debt Charity offers free expert advice to help you with your debts & get you the support you need. You can get advice online or over the phone, and they will recommend a range of debt solutions based on your situation. Tel: 0800 138 1111 or visit: www.stepchange.org
Useful Links
THE TRANSITION TO
CIVILIAN LIFE
The transition of moving from Military life
to Civilian life
can be
somewhat
overwhelming and for some
this may
result in committing crimes and breaking the law due to circumstances or the fact that they just can not cope and need extra help. For those who do end up receiving a custodial sentence, there are some charities who are always keen to help and have the skill's and resources to get you back on the correct pathway to enjoying a wonderful life. The charities and organisations concerned have a great deal of experience in dealing with the pitfall's of an individual being incarcerated, we recommend that you contact them at the earliest convenience:
The following Charities and Organisations have all of the experience needed to help and assist you, if you have fallen foul of the law and been given a custodial sentence. We recommend that you watch the Video opposite and contact them at the earliest convenience to ensure that you get the maximum benefit available.
Rehabilitations For Offenders - UNLOCK
St Giles Trust - For Offenders
If you can not get the Help and Assistance that you need, please get in touch with us at the earliest convenience and we will do everything within our powers to get you the help that you need. We also have a great deal of Help & Information on other pages on the website.
FOLLOW UP
AFVBC - VETERANS UK
All Armed Forces personnel should have a mandatory Follow Up check once they leave the Armed Forces and they should be contacted by either a member of the AFVBC (Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club) and if necessary by the Veterans UK.
We are hoping that this practice is put into place as soon as is reasonably possible, to assure individuals & families that they are not alone and always have someone to turn to.
We have put a few AFVBC's on the Help-Info page or you can search for your local club by visiting the following: https://www.afvbc.net/club-search/
