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War pensions

13 April 2011

There are two different war pension schemes in operation. Neither scheme is means tested. The amount of savings you have does not affect your war pension.

The new scheme

The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) was introduced by the Veterans Agency (now Service Personnel Veterans Agency - SPVA) to replace the old war pensions scheme and the attributable benefits of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) for injuries, illnesses or death caused on or after 6 April 2005.

You can find out more about this scheme in Disability Rights UK's Disability Rights Handbook, available to buy at www.radar-shop.org.uk/.

The old scheme

This scheme still applies where someone has an injury, illness or death caused before 6 April 2005 and covers a range of benefits. It is paid where someone:

• was injured, wounded or suffered a disease whilst in the armed forces
• was injured as a result of World War Two
• is a dependant of someone whose death  has been caused or "substantially hastened" by any of the above. 

If you want to find out about the old war pensions scheme, which applied before 6th April 2005, see Disability Rights UK's Disability Rights Handbook 35th Edition, which was published May 2010.

How to claim a war pension

You can get claim forms for these schemes by calling the Veterans Helpline on 0800 169 2277 or you can get them from http://www.veterans-uk.info/.

More information

• veterans uk website

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