Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what Veterans UK policy is on prioritising the compensation claims of armed forces veterans with more serious illnesses or injuries.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) attaches importance to ensuring that claims for compensation which are particularly deserving are treated as a priority. Veterans UK administers the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes. Within both Schemes, compensation claims from, or in relation to, Armed Forces veterans are treated as a priority where they are identified by the caseworker as 'seriously injured or vulnerable Service leavers' (as decided through the single Service welfare cells), or are diagnosed terminally ill, or have died in Service or have claimed a number of serious medical conditions in their application.
These claims are subject to an accelerated process, marked as 'Priority' and treated as such at all stages of the administrative process. They are settled at the earliest opportunity once a decision has been taken.
In Armed Forces Compensation cases Veterans UK's objective is to make a decision and clear the case within 20 working days of the last piece of evidence being received. This aim has been achieved for at least the last four years.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what change there has been in the time taken to process War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims since 2010.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The combined effects of the implementation of the Boyce Review on the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the increase in the number of applications for War Disablement Pension, as a result of more people with pre-April 2005 Service reaching the end of their engagement, led to delays in processing prospective claims for these schemes.
Actions were therefore put in place which had the effect of reducing the on-hand cases in the AFCS by half and the programme has returned to target. In War Disablement Pension the on-hand cases have fallen by 35% and waiting times have reduced.
The average length of time taken to process War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims since 2010 can be found below:
WAR PENSIONS SCHEME
2010-11 - 39 working days
2011-12 - 51 working days
2012-13 - 82 working days
2013-14 - 110 working days
2014-15 (as at 21 October 2014) - 103 working days
ARMED FORCES COMPENSATION SCHEME
2010-11 - 93 working days
2011-12 - 125 working days
2012-13 - 164 working days
2013-14 - 109 working days
2014-15 (as at 21 October 2014) - 89 working days
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the factors responsible for delays in processing injured Armed Forces veterans' War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The combined effects of the implementation of the Boyce Review on the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the increase in the number of applications for War Disablement Pension, as a result of more people with pre-April 2005 Service reaching the end of their engagement, led to delays in processing prospective claims for these schemes.
Actions were therefore put in place which had the effect of reducing the on-hand cases in the AFCS by half and the programme has returned to target. In War Disablement Pension the on-hand cases have fallen by 35% and waiting times have reduced.
The average length of time taken to process War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims since 2010 can be found below:
WAR PENSIONS SCHEME
2010-11 - 39 working days
2011-12 - 51 working days
2012-13 - 82 working days
2013-14 - 110 working days
2014-15 (as at 21 October 2014) - 103 working days
ARMED FORCES COMPENSATION SCHEME
2010-11 - 93 working days
2011-12 - 125 working days
2012-13 - 164 working days
2013-14 - 109 working days
2014-15 (as at 21 October 2014) - 89 working days
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where his Department has found delays in the processing of injured veteran's claims in the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claim process.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Each claim is different. Many are complex. It is inevitable that processing these can take a considerable time, for example while evidence is gathered from third party organisations and individuals.
In the case of the War Pension Scheme, there are no time limits for claiming, and claims for injuries dating back to World War Two are still being received. Assessing these claims involves locating 70 year old paper records, both Service and medical, and often requires a person to be medically examined so that a decision can be made based on up-to-date evidence. We attach much importance to dealing with all such claims as quickly as possible. Improvements have already been implemented and work is ongoing to further speed up the claims processing times.