Currently, veterans who are awarded compensation by the government risk losing out on other benefits because of the way the compensation is categorised. For example, the UK Government has awarded compensation to 12,000 veterans and their families in Scotland to acknowledge the pain and loss they experienced while serving in the Armed Forces. 

Unfortunately, this compensation is considered as income when undergoing welfare benefit means tests. This means that the most financially disadvantaged veterans are denied support that their civilian counterparts can receive. 

The categorisation of this compensation is different to civil awards such as personal injury or medical negligence, which typically would not affect welfare benefit means testing. 

In 2011, the UK Government made a commitment through the Armed Forces Covenant, promising that individuals within the Armed Forces community should not face any disadvantages compared to other citizens when accessing public and commercial services. Poppyscotland and Royal British Legion believe that means testing of military compensation breaches this promise. 

As a result, they are calling on the UK Government to ensure that compensation awarded for injuries or bereavement in the Armed Forces is never considered as income by benefit means tests. 

Poppyscotland has also urged local authorities in Scotland to use their existing powers to ensure that military compensation is never treated as income. And they have called on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government to revise the current benefit regulations and make them fairer for those in the Armed Forces community. 

Several SNP, Labour and DUP MPs are already supporting the campaign. You can find out more here.