Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has he made in reducing the time taken by Veterans UK in case handling for medically discharged personnel.

The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) Armed Forces and Veterans Services (AFVS), known as Veterans UK, administer the War Pension Scheme and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. Medical discharge cases are prioritised following the claims consideration process. This involves establishing Service-related factors linked to the discharge, often requiring information from third parties. Awaiting the return of these records does take time and, regrettably, this is something the MOD cannot influence.

Where additional information is required, requests are sent with a specified timeframe for response, and follow-up action is taken if responses are not received within this period. Once all necessary evidence is received, the case is assessed, and the decision is communicated to the Service person.