What is the War Pension Scheme (WPS)? How much money can I receive? Am I eligible? If you served in the Armed Forces and your service caused or worsened an injury and your health, you might be eligible for this scheme. Your Benefits will walk you everything you need to know about the War Pension Scheme.
What is a war pension?
The War Pension Scheme (WPS) is a benefit scheme awarded to veterans who were injured or suffered an illness. Specifically, the injury or illness has to have been caused or worsened by their service in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.
Furthermore, there are two types of the War Pension Scheme benefit. In fact, your level of disablement will dictate which type you receive:
- A gratuity: a one-time lump sum payment for disablement less than 20%;
- A pension: an ongoing weekly or monthly payment for disablement more than 20%.
How much is a war pension?
You could receive a certain amount with the War Pension Scheme. More specifically, here are the rates of War Pension Scheme for previous years:
| War Pension Scheme amount for April 2019 and April 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| War Pensions Scheme Benefits | April 2019 £ weekly | April 2020 £ weekly |
| Armed Forces Independence Payment | 148.85 | 151.40 |
| War Pensions | ||
| Disablement Pension (100% rates) officer (£ per year) | 9,904.00 | 10,071.00 |
| Other ranks | 189.80 | 193.00 |
How to claim a war pension
There are a couple of different procedures depending on what army or group you have served. Indeed, if you served or are currently serving with United Special Forces (UKSF), whether directly or through a special role, you must contact the MOD A Black Disclosure Cell for advice prior to completing the claim form.
Furthermore, you may be asked to disclose details of your service with UKSF, or any directly supporting units. Moreover, the contact information of the Disclosure Cell is as follows: MAB-J1-Disclosures-ISA-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk.
There are notes on the form to help you fill it out. Indeed, if you are unable to download or print out the form in any way, you can call or email the Veterans UK helpline to request a copy.
What if my situation is different?
If you are a Nuclear Test Veteran (NTV) and you believe that your condition was caused due to exposure to ionising radiation during the UK nuclear test programme, your claim might be eligible to be sped up. Then, you need to complete the AFCSWPS Claim form-NTV Enquiries/Request.
You may refer your service documents to Veterans UK if you are medically discharged from Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. Moreover, you may also automatically be considered entitled to an award under the War Pension Scheme.
What happens after I send my claim for the War Pension Scheme (WPS)?
In order to treat your claim, information relevant to your situation will be collected from both inside and outside the Ministry of Defence. Once such information is collected by relevant parties, additional information might be necessary to your application.
Anything from a report from your General Practitioner or Medical Officer, or a copy of recent medical records if you recently received hospital treatment. In any case, providing supporting documentation is highly recommended.
Such documents may include reports from your Medical Officer, copies of orders and accidents/incident reports. Your claim might be dealt with quicker.
Sometimes, your case is not able to be decided on your latest medical information, or you might not have seen your General Practitioner for a while. In this situation, a medical examination with an appointed doctor will be arranged.
If this is the case, you will receive a letter with the reasons for why such a decision was taken. Additionally, if more information is requested regarding payments if you do not provide them, your payments might cease.
War Pension change of circumstances
You must inform Veterans UK as soon as possible if you have a change in your situation. This includes a change of name, address, telephone number or bank account or building society account. If you are not sure if a change requires contacting Veterans UK, please do so anyways.
Furthermore, you must inform Veterans UK for any of the following reasons. In fact, you receive any other benefits for the same injury, illness or disablement that you are getting a War Pension, or if you begin to receive any other pension, allowance or benefit from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
This may reduce your lump sum or War Pension. Indeed, this is because you cannot be compensated twice for the same disablement. You must inform of:
- Improvement or health deterioration;
- Sentence to any terms of imprisonment.
What do I do if I disagree with a decision?
In case you believe that Veterans UK made a mistake when treating your War Pension claim, or did not have all relevant information when treating your case, you should contact them and ask for a review. Indeed, at the end of the review of your case, you will be notified of the outcome.
If you still feel that the decision is not correct, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. More specifically, from the date of your decision letter, you have 12 months to appeal.
Additionally, you might believe you have additional conditions that you can receive compensation for. If those additional injuries or sickness were caused or made worse by service in the armed forces, and happened before 6 April 2005, you can send a claim for another condition.
There are instructions on how to fill the form within it. If you are not able to print or download the form, you can contact Veterans UK helpline for a copy. In fact, their email is veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk. Furthermore, you can call them on 0808 1914 218, or +44 1253 866 043 if you are abroad.
Can I claim war pension?
You may have been injured or suffered an illness. Additionally, this could have been worsened or cause by your service in the Armed Forces. If this happened prior to 6 April 2005, you could be eligible for the War Pension Scheme (WPS).
Additionally, you can also apply to several more minor schemes, please see the Armed forces compensation scheme statement of policy (JSP 765) for more information.
How else can I know if I am eligible?
You do not need to have paid representation (like solicitors) or a claims management company in order to claim War Pension. You can find various free advice and help from various sources, like the Veteran Welfare Service and others.
In case you decide to go for paid representation, the costs of such a method cannot be covered by the War Pension Scheme. As such, you will need to cover these costs yourself. However, there are different types of payments for representation of this type.
If someone uses the “no-win no-fee” basis, they will usually keep a share of your received payments from the War Pension Scheme to cover their costs. Before you agree to any sort of paid representation, we recommend that you check how much of your benefit payments will go to your representative.
Lastly, no time limit apply to the claiming process. However, your payments from your War Pension Scheme will only start from the date of your claim.
I joined the army at age of 17, being a non smoker, I was actively encouaged to take advantage of my free allowance of 200 cigerettes per week, which I duly undertook as I belived this was the thing to do. I had never smoked before. Later in life I was diagnosed with wide spread emythesema of both lungs. During this medical examination I was ask if I had served in the armed Forces, and ask why they wanted to know this as I informed them that I served 12;years., they replied,,,,,,Case Explained. I respectaby requuest that I be considered for this award
Hello Mr. Hunggins,
I had no idea that this was a thing. You might have a very good case to receive this award indeed. However, we are not a government agency. You would have to apply through an official channel.
Hope this helps,
Robin
I am now aged 69. I was granted the basic War Pension after my 22 year discharge in 1993. This was for Bi lateral chronic Achilles Tendonitis. I was advised to keep in touch as to my mobility and hearing condition. I attended a hearing test some years later and was told that, while my hearing was continuing to deteriate, there were no grounds for an increase in the pension. Now, the tinitus has increased and my hearing is poor, rheumatism in conjuction with my tendonitis has decreased my mobility tremendously. Your advice in these matters would be greatly appriciated.
David Easby.
Hello Mr. Easby,
You should be able to receive this scheme. However, on top of this, there are other benefits that you could receive. Here are a couple:
Attendance Allowance: https://www.your-benefits.co.uk/disability/attendance-allowance/
NHS Low Income Scheme (to help with health costs): https://www.your-benefits.co.uk/health/nhs-low-income-scheme/
Hope this helps,
Robin