Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 40755, for what reason the Total Compensation Payable under the AFCS increased.

The total expenditure under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) increased in 2023-24 due to the number of Guaranteed Income Payments (GIP) in payment increasing year on year and an increase in the number of awarded initial injury/illness claims in that financial year.

In 2023-24, the number of GIPs in payment increased by 10%.

In 2023-24, 4,075 initial injury/illness claims were awarded which was an increase of 34% when compared to the previous year. This increase was due to an increase in the number of injury/illness claims registered (9,545 in 2023-24 compared to 7,793 in 2022-23) and an increase in the percentage of initial injury/illness cleared claims awarded (57% compared to 50% the previous year).