The first ever UK-wide strategy on the delivery of support
for veterans has been published today.
Produced jointly between the UK, Scottish and Welsh
Governments, and including the Northern Ireland Office, the
‘Strategy for our Veterans’ outlines a new vision and
principles to support those who served, as well as their
families, in every aspect of their lives once they have
hung up their uniform. Having looked back 100 years to the
Armistice, this vision and its supporting principles are
intended to ensure current and future veterans, and their
families, can look forward to the next 100 years confident
in the nation’s support.
The strategy identifies six key areas where support is most
needed over the next ten years: community and
relationships, employment and skills, health and wellbeing,
finance and debt, housing, and contact with the law. It
assesses the barriers and opportunities in these areas to
providing support to each veteran, including improved
collaboration between organisations, better co-ordination
of services and more robust data on the veteran community.
It will be published alongside a consultation paper that
seeks views on how best to champion and deliver the needs
of the ex-service community. This UK Government
Consultation informs how the strategy could be implemented
across the UK, except for devolved matters in Scotland and
Wales. Open to everyone, including charities, employers,
academics, service providers, local authorities and the
veteran community, the UK consultation will ultimately
inform action planning by providers of public services to
support the ex-service community. The Scottish and Welsh
Governments will engage separately on devolved issues such
as housing and healthcare.
As part of the package of support for veterans, the
Veterans’ Gateway’s 24/7 helpline will trial a new outreach
service where it will proactively call those who have
served, to check in on their wellbeing and remind them of
where support can be found.
As a first step in better understanding the profiles and
needs of veterans, a new question is being considered for
addition to the 2021 Census in England and Wales, and in
Scotland, that will allow ex-service personnel to declare
their service. The move will help authorities develop a
better understanding of where veterans live and work so the
right level of support can be provided.
Defence Secretary said:
While the vast majority of veterans thrive in civilian
life, we have a responsibility to ensure that any who do
struggle as a result of their service - whether finding a
job, getting on the property ladder or with mental health
issues – get the support they need.
The ‘Strategy for our Veterans’ is a crucial step in our
cross-government efforts to support those who have
protected us. By harnessing the combined reach of the UK,
Scottish and Welsh Governments and co-ordinating services
across charities, local authorities and businesses, we
will ensure no-one is left behind.
As part of the strategy, the UK Government has also
committed to understanding and improving how veterans are
viewed by society. New research by YouGov, commissioned by
the MOD and the Forces in Mind Trust and published today,
shows that while the public believes those who have served
embody many positive characteristics – such as loyalty and
self-discipline – common misconceptions that military
veterans are more likely to be institutionalised or suffer
from mental health issues remain.
Today’s strategy builds on the huge package of
cross-government support already available to ex-service
personnel to help them and their families transition to
civilian life.
Transition to civilian life
- For up to two years before and after leaving service,
personnel can access the Career Transition Partnership,
which offers one to one guidance and training to those
exploring new careers after leaving the military.
- This year, the MOD will launch the new Defence
Transition Service – an extra layer of care that will
identify and support those most vulnerable as they leave
service.
- The Veterans’ Gateway was launched in 2017 and acts as
the first port of call for ex-service personnel and their
families. The MOD has announced that the Gateway’s 24/7
helpline will trial a new outreach service where it will
proactively call those who have served, to check in on
their wellbeing and remind them of where support can be
found.
Mental health
- This year, the UK Government has doubled its funding of
the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, committing a further
£10 million to support veterans who may be struggling with
their mental health.
- A specialist Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund
has been established to distribute this money, which will
provide cash for projects that improve veterans’ wellbeing
through activities which have been proven to significantly
benefit the mental health of individuals.
- Since 2010, the UK Government has also provided an
additional £22.5m to the NHS in England to support the
mental and physical health needs of both military personnel
and veterans, with a further £9m since 2017 to set up the
new Transition, Intervention and Liaison Services (TILS),
which provides community based support for those personnel
approaching discharge.
- In the Budget, the Chancellor announced the UK
Government is investing at least £2 billion extra a year in
our mental health services by 2023/24, with new mental
health crisis centres, support in every major A+E unit in
the country and more mental health ambulances.
- NHS England last week confirmed that every part of the
country now has dedicated mental health services up and
running for veterans, and announced the first 25 hospitals
to become ‘Veteran Aware’, delivering specialist healthcare
support to those who have served.
- The first cross-government strategy to tackle
loneliness will allow all GPs in England to refer patients
suffering with loneliness to community activities and
voluntary services by 2023. This builds on the £20 million
dedicated to helping charities and community groups to
expand programmes that bring people together.
- Veterans in England, Scotland and Wales benefit from
priority access to NHS secondary care for service
attributable conditions.
Housing and finance
- All veterans have access to housing and financial
guidance through the Career Transition Partnership, which
ensures they are given the skills to remain self-sufficient
in civilian society.
- The UK Government has committed to halve rough sleeping
by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027, as part of the
Rough Sleeping Strategy launched this year.
- The MOD will continue to engage with a wide variety of
agencies who assist in homelessness and rough sleeping for
veterans.
Secretary of State for Scotland said:
At a time of year when people of the UK have united to
commemorate the end of World War One it is fitting that
all four nations are working together to ensure our
military veterans – many of who are from Scotland - are
properly looked after.
This strategy is an important step towards making sure
that the men and women who’ve selflessly served the UK
and put their lives on the line for us have the best
possible quality of life for them and their families.
Veterans Minister, Scotland, said:
This UK-wide strategy for our veterans recognises our
commitment to supporting our large and diverse veterans
community, and making sure those leaving our Armed Forces
receive the services and support they need to readjust to
civilian life.
The strategy will help us build on the support already
available to the veterans community in Scotland, across
key areas like housing, healthcare and employment. We
will consult with organisations across the public,
private and third sectors, and with the Scottish Veterans
Commissioner, over the coming months to help shape how we
respond to veterans’ changing needs.
Secretary of State for Wales said:
The outpouring of gratitude that we saw right across
Wales on Remembrance Sunday underlines just how proud
Welsh people are of our forces and the sacrifices they
and their families make to keep Britain safe. It is a
community that deserves our steadfast support –
particularly when the time comes to leave the military
and to start afresh in civilian live.
, Cabinet Secretary for
Local Government and Public Services, Wales, said,
This time of the year serves as a poignant reminder of
those who fought bravely in previous conflicts to
preserve our way of life. Through the collaborative
approach of the Armed Forces Expert Group we have made
tremendous progress in Wales delivering appropriate
services and support for our Armed Forces community and
this new Veterans Strategy confirms our joint commitment
to achieving the best outcome possible for our veterans,
one that will make a real difference to their lives.
The Rt Hon MP, Secretary of State
for Northern Ireland, said:
Our country owes a massive debt of gratitude to the brave
men and women of the Armed Forces who put their lives on
the line every single day to defend our way of life. We
will always salute their bravery, professionalism and, of
course, sacrifice. Nowhere has this been more evident in
recent decades than in Northern Ireland where, without
the contribution of the Armed Forces and the police,
there would have been no peace process.
It is largely through their efforts that the future of
Northern Ireland will only ever be decided by democracy
and consent and we must never forget that. I am
particularly pleased, therefore, that this Government has
put in place a strategy to that our brave veterans are
not left behind and that everybody who served their
country gets the support they need when they leave the
Armed Forces.
Minister for Defence People and Veterans said:
Each member of our armed forces is an asset to society,
leaving the military with a fantastic range of
transferrable skills.
The new study by YouGov shows how valued our veterans
are, but that more can be done to counter some of the
misperceptions that exist around the impact of military
service.
So we’re stepping up our efforts across Government to
make the case for veterans, working closely with
businesses and the charity sector.
