Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the efficiency of Veterans UK in processing injured veterans' claims.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I regularly meet the Chief Executive of Defence Business Services, most recently on 29 April 2025 to discuss performance and related issues. The average clearance times for Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and War Pension Scheme (WPS) claims are currently higher than target, and we are focused on bringing these down. I am pleased to say volumes and clearance times of AFCS claims have begun to fall.
The digitalisation and consolidation of claimants' data from hardcopy records and the thirty-year-old legacy database into a single, whole-scheme IT system will lead to improving long-term efficiency and service delivery for Serving personnel, Veterans and their dependants. However, this has unfortunately led in the short term to disruptions processing claims during the transition period, and officials are working hard to clear the backlog.
Whilst we continue to make every effort to improve processing times, some aspects such as requirements to obtain supporting evidence from third parties outside the department can contribute to longer processing times.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to increase the amount of support it provides to injured veterans.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am working across Government and with civil society to ensure Veterans get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. This year, we will set out our plans for Veterans in our updated Veterans’ Strategy. This Government will always stand up for those who have served our country.
Veterans who are resident in England can access specialist care for physical and mental health conditions via Op RESTORE and Op COURAGE respectively. Alternative provision is available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as responsibility for health is devolved.
Veterans UK, which is part of the Ministry of Defence, provides free support for Veterans and their families, including a helpline, Veterans Welfare Service, Defence Transition Services and injury/bereavement compensation scheme payments.
The Ministry of Defence runs two main compensation schemes – Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pension Scheme. Both Schemes provide compensation for injury or illness caused by Service. Eligible Veterans are entitled to make a claim, the details of which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-armed-forces-compensation-or-a-war-pension