Throughout 2009 the Royal British Legion Scotland continued to focus on its work of promoting remembrance and comradeship and in partnership with other ex-Service charities providing welfare, benevolence and war pension support for ex-Service men and women and their dependents throughout Scotland.
The work of our Pensions Department is varied and provides a free pensions advisory and appeals service to veterans resident in Scotland. This service is also extended to the widows and widowers of veterans and covers advice and assistance, in the processing of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims, together with the provision of an advocacy service in connection with subsequent Pension Appeals Tribunals. The Pensions and Welfare Department at Headquarters is funded by an annual grant from the Earl Haig Fund Scotland, Poppyscotland.
The MOD (Ministry of Defence) has started a review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) with Admiral The Lord Boyce as its independent Chair. This review is currently ongoing. However a number of key facts have been published recently from a consultation that closed on 31 October 2009. The tax-free lump sum payment for the most serious injuries has been raised to a maximum lump sum of £570,000 and all recipients, according to severity of injury, were entitled to an uplift of between 10% and 100% in their upfront lump sum payment. Together with the index-linked, tax free, annual Guaranteed Income Payment that means that the maximum total compensation is now in excess of £1.5 million. All those who have received awards, since the start of the scheme in 2005, will benefit from these changes.
Seriously injured personnel in receipt of AFCS and War Pension Scheme (WPS) payments can now access substantial grants to adapt their home for or to suit more appropriately their disability. AFCS and WPS payments are no longer considered to be income, when means-testing Housing Adaptation Grants. Also retention of the National Health Scheme waiting list position in Scotland and England (from early in 2010 Wales), health departments have agreed that previous waiting times will be taken into account when families relocate. Presently the Department of Health and other health departments are working together to improve the provision of dentistry in key areas where high levels of Service dependants are present. Private Care Trusts are also working with the Ministry of Defence to target areas of additional dentistry needs amongst Service families so that resources can be allocated accordingly.
Also under Local Connection, previously local connection legislation meant that Service leavers received no credit for having lived and worked in an area, when applying for social housing. This legislation has now been amended in England and Wales and it is hoped that the Scottish Government will be able to change their legislation in 2010 and remove this discrimination against Service personnel and their families.
As I write this short article I have received word that the Minister has formally approved the reconstitution of the War Pension Committees to be based on a new role description and now is to be known as “Veterans’ Advisory & Pensions Committees”. The announcement will be accompanied by a news release issued at regional level. The new committees have been given an enhanced role in the implementation of the Government’s Command Paper and the new Welfare Pathway model. The Minister referred to this at the Veterans’ Forum held on 3 December 2009 and stressed the importance he placed on the revised role of committees. This would ensure that veterans were championed at every level from central Government to the heart of the local community, it was hoped. Indeed it is up to us to deliver that service, effectively and efficiently. In reality the name change means that we may be called upon to give comfort and help to all veterans, not only those who are receiving a pension for injuries suffered, and this certainly includes the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme recipients. It will be up to the new committees to make people and organisations aware of our existence and the help we can provide, including, also asking for help from the many ex-Service organisations in promoting our committee and role to their membership.
Although slightly late by the time this is printed, I wish you one and all the very best of health and good cheer for 2010 and thank you for your support throughout the past year, as we look forward to the many challenges and changes ahead.
