Benefits for Veterans and Military Families — Extra Support Available
Guide to benefits and financial support for military veterans and their families in the UK in 2026. Covers War Pension, Armed Forces compensation, Veterans' Gateway, and how military service affects benefit claims.
Benefits information is based on current DWP and HMRC rules. Entitlements depend on your personal circumstances. For free personalised help, contact Citizens Advice or call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Contents
Military veterans and their families can access additional financial support alongside standard civilian benefits. Here’s a complete guide.
Veterans’ Benefits Overview
Benefit
Who It’s For
Tax-Free?
War Pension
Service-related injury/illness (pre-April 2005)
Yes
AFCS lump sum
Service-related injury/illness (post-April 2005)
Yes
AFCS Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP)
Ongoing compensation for injury/illness
Yes
Armed Forces Pension
All qualifying veterans
No — taxable as income
Veterans’ Railcard
All veterans
N/A
Priority NHS treatment
Service-related conditions
N/A
War Pension Scheme
For service-related injuries or illness caused before 6 April 2005:
Feature
Detail
Disablement rate
Based on percentage of disability (20-100%)
Maximum rate
£248.10/week (100% disability, 2026/27)
Tax-free
Yes
Means-tested
No
UC disregard
First £10/week ignored for UC
War Pension Supplements
Supplement
What It Covers
Constant Attendance Allowance
For those needing regular attendance
Mobility supplement
Help with getting around
Comforts allowance
Extra costs due to high disablement
Clothing allowance
Wear and tear on clothes due to disability
Unemployability supplement
If you can’t work due to service-related disability
Age allowance
Additional payment from age 65
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)
For service-related injuries or illness caused from 6 April 2005:
Lump Sum
AFCS lump sums are paid according to a 15-level tariff, with Level 1 covering the most severe injuries and Level 15 the least severe. Amounts are uprated each year, so confirm the current tariff table on GOV.UK before relying on a specific figure — do not assume older published amounts still apply.
Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP)
Feature
Detail
What it is
Regular tax-free payment for life
Based on
Severity of injury and loss of earnings
Starts from
Date of injury/claim
Increases annually
Yes — in line with inflation
Means-tested benefits interaction
Fully disregarded for most benefits
Important: GIP is fully disregarded for Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, and Council Tax Reduction. For UC, the first £10/week of War Pension/AFCS is disregarded.
How Military Income Affects Benefits
Income Type
UC Treatment
Pension Credit Treatment
Armed Forces Pension
Counted as income
Counted as income
War Pension (disablement)
£10/week disregard
£10/week disregard
AFCS GIP
£10/week disregard
Fully disregarded
AFCS lump sum
Capital rules apply (£6k-£16k tariff)
Not counted if spent within 52 weeks
War Pension mobility supplement
Disregarded
Disregarded
Veterans’ Support Services
Organisation
What They Provide
Contact
Veterans UK
Benefits, pensions, welfare support
0808 1914 218
Veterans’ Gateway
Signposting to all services
0808 802 1212
SSAFA
Financial assistance, housing, employment
ssafa.org.uk
Royal British Legion
Financial grants, advice, advocacy
rbl.org.uk
Help for Heroes
Recovery, wellbeing, employment
helpforheroes.org.uk
Combat Stress
Mental health support
0800 138 1619
The Veterans’ Gateway
A single point of contact for all veteran support: 0808 802 1212 (24/7). They connect you with the right organisation based on your needs.
Housing
The Armed Forces Covenant and Housing
Advantage
Detail
No local connection requirement
Veterans can apply for social housing anywhere in England
Additional priority
Many councils give veterans extra priority
Homelessness priority
Veterans who are vulnerable are in priority need
Forces Help to Buy
Scheme for serving personnel (not veterans)
JSHAO
Joint Service Housing Advice Office (for transition)
Housing Support
Organisation
What They Offer
Haig Housing
Social housing specifically for veterans
SSAFA
Housing advice and financial help
Stoll
Housing for vulnerable veterans in London
Royal British Legion
Supported housing schemes
Local councils
Social housing, homelessness support
Employment and Transition
Support
Detail
Career Transition Partnership (CTP)
Employment support during transition
Forces Employment Charity
Long-term employment support
RFEA (Regular Forces Employment Association)
Job matching and support
Enhanced CV support
Through armed forces charities
Recognising military qualifications
ELCAS funding for additional qualifications
Claiming Benefits as a Veteran
Tips
Always mention your veteran status when claiming benefits — it can affect how your claim is processed
War Pension/AFCS is separate from mainstream benefits — claim both
Keep evidence of service-related injuries — for War Pension/AFCS claims
Use Veterans UK for complex claims — 0808 1914 218
Check charity grants — The Royal British Legion, SSAFA, and others provide financial grants