Armed
Forces Compensation Scheme
Key information
You might be able to get financial help from the Armed
Forces Compensation Scheme if you have an illness or injury caused
by service in the Armed Forces on or after 6 April
2005.
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland
Age Rules: Of the legal age to join the Armed
Forces
Type: Non means
tested
Taxable: No - for those who have served
Administered by: The Service
Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) (link opens in a new
window)
Illness/injury: If you have an illness or
injury caused by service in the Armed Forces before 6 April 2005 or
your husband, wife or civil partner died before 6 April 2005
as a result of serving in the armed forces, see War Pensions Scheme.
Index
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Armed Forces serving personnel and veterans
Who does it help?
You might be able to get financial help from the Armed Forces
Compensation Scheme if you have an illness or injury caused by
service in the Armed Forces on or after 6 April 2005.
You do not have to have fought in a war or seen active service
to get financial help from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, as
long as you are injured or disabled because of serving in the Armed
Forces.
If the period of service which caused your illness or disability
was before 6 April 2005, you can get help from the War Pension scheme.
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What help does it provide?
You may get weekly payments and/or a lump sum payment.
The weekly payment, known as a guaranteed income payment
(GIP), is payable for life to those who could be expected to
experience a significant loss of earnings in the future as a result
of injury or illness caused by service. This may be payable to
someone who was injured but returned to service or to someone who
leaves the UK armed forces after injury or illness caused by
service.
Payments might affect other means-tested benefits.
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How much does it pay?
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is based on a tariff
system. The GIP you get will depend on how severely you
have been hurt or disabled and your age.
A lump sum is payable, also based on the tariff system. It can
take an expected level of deterioration of health into
account.
If you get a GIP of 50% or more you may also be entitled to an
Armed Forces Independence Payment.
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How do I make a claim?
If you want to claim help from the Armed Forces Compensation
Scheme, you should get in touch with the Service
Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) (link opens in a new
window) to get a claim form. They will help you fill
it in. You should claim within five years of the event causing the
injury or ill health.
You can call their helpline on:
- 0800 169 2277 (UK) or
- +44 1253 866043 (Overseas)
You can download a claim form from the Veterans UK
website (link opens in a new window).
Benefit cap and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
If you or your partner receive an Armed Forces Compensation
Scheme payment, you will be exempt from the benefit cap which will be introduced from April
2013.
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Bereaved partners of serving Armed Forces personnel
Who does it help?
A survivor's guaranteed income payment (SGIP), part of the Armed
Forces Compensation Scheme, can be paid to surviving spouses and
civil partners where the service person's death was caused by
service. In the case of unmarried partners, a substantial
relationship must be demonstrated.
If the death happened prior to 6th April
2005, you may qualify for a War Widow's/Widower's Pension
instead.
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What help does it provide?
A SGIP is a weekly payment.
Payments might affect other means-tested
benefits like Income Support or
Housing Benefit (England, Wales,
Scotland) and Housing Benefit (Northern
Ireland).
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How much does it pay?
The weekly payments are based on your spouse or civil partner's
earnings.
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How do I make a claim?
You can get in touch with the Service Personnel and Veterans
Agency (SPVA) (link opens in a new window)by calling their
helpline on:
- 0800 169 2277 (UK) or
- +44 1253 866043 (Overseas)
A war pensions welfare officer will visit you to help you
claim SGIP and anything else you may be entitled to.
You can also get a form from your nearest War Pensioners'
Welfare Service Office. You'll find them in the local phone book
under 'Veterans Agency'.
You can also download a form on Veterans
UK website (link opens in a new window).
Further information
You may find the following resources helpful:
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Benefit cap and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
If you receive an Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payment, you
will be exempt from the Benefit Cap.
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This information has been produced by Citizens
Advice.
Last updated: 8 April 2013
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