Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Support for Veterans

Monday 20 November 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Ministry of Defence provides veterans and their families with armed forces pensions, compensation, and tailored advice through various services.
  • Compensation for veterans is considered income for means-tested benefits, affecting eligibility for welfare support.
  • The Minister thanked The Veterans Charity in North Devon for their Poppies to Paddington operation.
  • The number of veterans claiming universal credit increased by 31.6% over the past year.
  • The government has instituted a quinquennial review and an independent review of veterans' welfare services.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Selaine Saxby
Veterans
Context

The question addresses the actions taken by the Department of Defence to assist veterans and their families.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to support veterans?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

The Ministry of Defence delivers a range of services to veterans and their families, including the administration and payment of armed forces pensions and compensation, and tailored advice and assistance through the Veterans Welfare Service, Defence Transition Services and integrated personal commissioning for veterans.

Answered
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Q2 Patricia Gibson SNP
Benefits & Welfare Veterans
Context

The question concerns the issue of veterans losing out on nearly £6,000 annually due to their compensations being classed as income when applying for means-tested benefits.

Question

When veterans and their families are compensated for the detrimental impact their service has had on their lives, that is unjustly classed as income when applying for means-tested benefits, rendering veterans and their families ineligible for welfare support under UK Government control. Will the Minister pledge his support for the Royal British Legion's Credit their Service campaign?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

Of course the MOD works with the DWP on a range of issues. Compensation is set in the full knowledge of how it will be dealt with under the benefits system in the UK. By most measures, the armed forces compensation scheme and the war pension scheme are felt to be sound and appropriate for awarding significant amounts of money to those who have served our country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not pledge support for the Royal British Legion's Credit their Service campaign or commit to working with DWP to disregard compensation when applying for means-tested benefits.

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Q3 Selaine Saxby
Veterans
Context

The question highlights the Poppies to Paddington operation by The Veterans Charity in North Devon, which collected 231 wreaths from the Great Western Railway region for Remembrance Day.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking The Veterans Charity in North Devon for their Poppies to Paddington operation?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

I absolutely will, and I add my congratulations to my hon. Friend's in thanking The Veterans Charity in North Devon. It is important to reflect on those who give so much in the service of our country.

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Q4 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Benefits & Welfare Veterans
Context

The number of veterans claiming universal credit has increased by nearly a third over the past year, leading to concerns about their ability to cope with the cost of living.

Question

Over the past year, the number of veterans claiming universal credit has increased by 31.6%, which is nearly a third. Does the Minister recognise that some long-term sick who his party has been attacking in the media are veterans with physical and mental health challenges?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

The hon. Gentleman will know that universal credit is an in-work benefit. Within the system, there are allowances that we offer to our veterans that can be improved. As he knows, that is why we have instituted the quinquennial review and the independent review of veterans' welfare services.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not acknowledge the increase in veterans claiming Universal Credit due to economic failure or provide specific advice on rhetoric regarding long-term sick veterans.

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