Asked by: Chris Ward (Labour - Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people supported through the LGBT+ Financial Recognition Scheme; and what further steps he plans to take to ensure all eligible LGBT+ veterans are able to access this scheme.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
As of 1 September 2026, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme had received 1,716 applications and paid out more than £58 million. With fewer than 100 days remaining before the Scheme closes, Defence has intensified its awareness campaign to reach as many veterans affected by the Ban as possible. This includes the launch of a new campaign website, refreshed Ally Pack and promotional materials, and continued engagement with local authorities, the NHS, veterans’ organisations, employers, regimental associations and charities to maximise awareness and encourage applications. We encourage organisations and individuals to help raise awareness of the Scheme by downloading and sharing the Ally Pack available at www.gov.uk/affected-by-the-ban.
Asked by: Chris Ward (Labour - Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on providing payments to LGBTQ+ veterans under the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns
The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) launched in December of 2024, and as of 9 June 2025, 44 applicants have received payment. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with.
The Scheme continues to make progress with applications, with process capacity expected to increase in the coming months. The FRS is continually looking for opportunities to automate processes where possible, to streamline processing and to work as efficiently as possible processing applications, taking account of the complexity and need for careful consideration.
Payments made by the FRS are not compensation payments and do not seek to compensate for any pecuniary losses or attempt to place personnel in a financial position they could have been in, had the ban not existed.
There is no predetermined target for the number of claims that will be assessed at each sitting of the Independent Panel for the FRS. The volume of claims reviewed at each sitting will vary depending on the length and complexity of individual cases, so it is not possible to confirm in advance how many cases will be considered in any given meeting. The Department expects to increase the frequency of Independent Panel sittings, with the aim of holding up to two sittings per week.
No formal assessment has been made of trends in waiting times for the assessment of claims under the Scheme. However, the Department is currently working on how we can simplify the process to update applicants. Applicants can contact the Restorative Action Team at the following email address: [email protected]
The Department will continue to keep resourcing under close review to ensure the FRS is fully supported. This includes assessing whether additional staff are required to manage demand and maintain the timely assessment of claims. The Department continues to monitor the overall progress of claims and remains committed to ensuring the scheme is delivered as efficiently and fairly as possible.