Care Support for Veterans and Ex-Service Personnel

If your relative served in the armed forces, there may be help available that most families never hear about — extra payments, charitable grants, and even care homes built specifically for veterans. None of this replaces the standard care system. It sits alongside it, and it's often underclaimed simply because people don't know to ask.

What extra support is available to veterans?

Older veterans and their spouses or partners may be able to claim help that goes beyond the usual routes into care. This falls into three broad areas:

• Service-related compensation — payments for illness or injury linked to time in the forces, through the War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
• Charitable grants and advice — from organisations set up to help ex-service personnel and their families with exactly these situations.
• Dedicated care homes — residential, nursing and dementia care run by armed-forces charities, some with reduced fees for eligible veterans.

All of this sits on top of, not instead of, the standard system: council-funded care, Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit and NHS support remain available in the usual way.

How do War Pensions and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme work?

The War Pension Scheme covers people who left service before April 2005; the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme covers those who left after that date. Both provide payments for illness, injury or disablement caused or made worse by service — whenever that service took place. There's no time limit on making a claim.

Someone receiving a War Pension at a high level, who needs a lot of daily care because of their disablement, may also qualify for Constant Attendance Allowance, an additional payment on top of the pension itself.

Veterans UK, part of the Ministry of Defence, runs a free helpline and handles claims and queries about both schemes. It's the right first stop for the official financial support, and staff can explain what evidence you'll need — usually service details such as regiment, service number and dates, plus medical evidence linking the condition to service.

What can armed-forces charities help with?

The forces charity sector is large and well used to these situations. Many veterans qualify for help from more than one charity at once, so it's worth approaching several.

• Royal British Legion — grants, advice and welfare support for veterans and their families, covering care costs, equipment and general hardship.
• SSAFA — practical and financial help, including caseworkers who can support a claim or application from start to finish.
• Service-specific benevolent funds — such as ABF The Soldiers' Charity, the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, and the RAF Benevolent Fund, each supporting people who served in that particular branch.
• Combat Stress — support for mental-health conditions linked to service, which can be relevant where these contribute to a need for care.

Charitable grants can go towards care-home fees, home adaptations, mobility equipment or short breaks for carers. They don't usually cover the whole cost, but they can make a real difference when combined with other funding.

Are there care homes specifically for veterans?

Yes. A small number of charities run care homes exclusively, or mainly, for ex-service personnel and often their spouses too. Well-known examples include Royal Star & Garter, with homes in England, and Erskine in Scotland. They offer residential, nursing and dementia care within a community of people who share a service background — which some veterans find genuinely reassuring, and others simply prefer a local mainstream home.

These homes are still care homes in the normal sense. Check their CQC rating, visit if you can, and ask about fees and any charitable support towards them, exactly as you would with any other home. Places are limited and eligibility criteria vary by charity, so contact them directly and early.

How does veteran support fit with council funding and NHS Continuing Healthcare?

Veteran-specific payments and grants don't replace the standard system — they add to it. Still apply for a council care needs assessment and a financial (means-test) assessment in the normal way. If your relative has substantial, ongoing health needs, ask whether they might qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is fully funded regardless of military background — see the NHS social care and support guide for how the assessment works.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a government commitment that those who serve, or have served, and their families, are treated fairly — including in access to health and social care. It's worth mentioning a service background to the GP, the council social worker and any care provider, so they can factor in relevant support when planning care.

How do you start the process?

1. Contact Veterans UK to check eligibility for a War Pension, Armed Forces Compensation, or Constant Attendance Allowance.
2. Ring the Royal British Legion or SSAFA helpline — they can assess what's available and point you to the right funds, including service-specific charities.
3. Apply for a council needs assessment and financial assessment regardless — veteran support works alongside this, not instead of it.
4. Check standard benefits too: Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit are not affected by receiving veteran-specific payments.
5. Have service details ready — regiment or service branch, service number, and dates — as eligibility for some schemes depends on them.