War
Pensions Scheme
Key information
You might be able to get financial help from the War
Pensions Scheme if you have an illness or injury caused by service
in the Armed Forces, or your husband, wife or civil partner died as
a result of serving in the Armed Forces before 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
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 on or after
6 April 2005 or your husband, wife or civil partner died on or
after 6 April 2005 as a result of serving in the Armed
Forces, see Armed Forces Compensation
Scheme.
Index
You can read through this information sheet or go directly to
the sections you want to read by clicking on these links:
Serving Armed Forces personnel and veterans
Who does it help?
You might be able to get financial help from the War Pensions
Scheme if you have an illness or injury caused by service in the
Armed Forces before 6 April 2005 and are no longer serving in the
Armed Forces.
If your illness or injury was caused by an event on or after 6
April 2005 you may be eligible for financial help from the Armed Forces Compensation
Scheme instead.
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What help does it provide?
You may receive either a weekly pension or a one off lump sum
payment.
The basic pension is worked out based on your degree of
disability as a percentage. If you are assessed at 20% or more then
you will receive a weekly pension. If you are assessed at less than
20% you will receive a one off lump sum payment.
If you get a war pension, you may also be entitled
to extra allowances, however, some may affect other benefits you
may get.
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How much does it pay?
Rates of War Pensions and Allowances 2013-14 (Link opens in new
window PDF file)
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How do I make a claim?
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 also download claim forms on the
Veterans
UK website (link opens in a new window).
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Benefit cap and War Pensions
If you or your partner receive a War Pension, you will be exempt
from the Benefit Cap
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Bereaved partners of serving Armed Forces personnel
Who does it help?
You may be entitled to a War Widow's/Widower's
Pension if your spouse’s or civil partner’s death was a result of
their service in the Armed Forces prior to 6th April 2005.
If the death happened on or after 6th
April 2005 whilst still serving in Armed Forces, you may qualify
for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
(AFCS) instead.
You are not entitled to a War Widow's/Widower's
Pension as well as a Bereavement
Benefit. However the War Widow's/Widower's Pension is usually
paid at a higher rate and is tax-free.
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What help does it provide?
A War Widow's or Widower's Pension is a
tax-free pension.
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How much does it pay?
The pension has a higher rate and a lower rate.
You will get the lower rate unless you fit one of the following
criteria:
- the widow/widower of an officer above the rank of Major or
equivalent; or
- aged 40 or over ; or
- under 40 and getting an allowance for a child; or
- under 40 and unable to support yourself financially
Rates of War Pensions and Allowances 2013-14 (Link opens in new
window PDF file)
Christmas Bonus
If you receive a War Widow/er's Pension you also qualify for a
Christmas Bonus each year. This is usually £10. You do not need to
make a claim for the bonus it is paid automatically. It does not
affect any other benefits you might get.
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How do I make 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 this 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).
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Further information
You may find the following resources helpful:
Benefit cap and War Widow/Widower's Pension
If you receive a War Widow/Widower's Pension, you will be exempt
from the Benefit Cap
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This information has been produced by Broadway.
Last updated: 08 April 2013
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