Armed Forces: Complaints
(asked on 20th April 2023) - View Source
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many serving and former military personnel claim compensation through his Department for injuries related to (a) hearing loss and (b) other ear, nose, and throat problems due to their service in the Armed Forces.
The number of claimants under either the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) or the War Pension Scheme (WPS) in relation to ‘other injuries related to the ear, nose and throat (ENT)’ is not held due to the broad nature of this area and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below table details the number of claimants who registered claims under AFCS and WPS for hearing loss. Please note that for WPS, the table shows the number of claimants who had a first disablement claim registered between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2022 and claimed for hearing loss. These figures should be treated as a minimum. Due to the way the data is held, first disablement claims registered prior to 1 April 2010 which subsequently had a second/subsequent claim for hearing loss registered after 1 April 2010 have been excluded. Claimants are only eligible to claim under the WPS once they have left service.
Table 1: Number of claimants that registered an injury/illness claim under AFCS1 and WPS for hearing loss5, by financial year2 and 6
1 April 2010 – 31 March 2022
Scheme | Financial Year | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 |
AFCS | Serving personnel3 | 347 | 590 | 356 | 347 | 273 | 269 |
Former service personnel4 | 198 | 281 | 191 | 258 | 280 | 259 | |
WPS | Number of Claimants | 1,380 | 1,234 | 1,323 | 1,324 | 1,081 | 987 |
Scheme | Financial Year | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
AFCS | Serving personnel3 | 243 | 230 | 221 | 246 | 145 | 122 |
Former service personnel4 | 205 | 211 | 185 | 210 | 126 | 145 | |
WPS | Number of Claimants | 782 | 766 | 777 | 766 | 386 | 137 |
Sources: Compensation and Pension System (CAPS) and War Pension Computer System (WPCS)
1. Claims made for hearing loss were identified based on a free text search of the conditions claimed for field in CAPS. The condition claimed for is based on information supplied by the claimant and does not necessarily reflect a diagnosis of hearing loss.
2. Presented by financial year in which initial injury/illness claim was registered.
3. Includes in-service claims and medical discharge claims.
4. Includes post-service claims.
5. Claims made for hearing loss were identified based on a free text search of the condition claimed for field in WPCS
6. Presented by financial year in which the first disablement claim was registered.