The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pensions Scheme are designed to compensate veterans and serving personnel for a medical condition or injury which is due to or has been worsened by RAF service.

If you are considering a potential claim or would like support with an existing claim, appeal or tribunal, we have an expert team on hand to help advise you throughout the process.

How we can help

We offer free, independent and confidential advice for serving personnel, and RAF veterans who may wish to talk through an existing or potential claim.

Whether you are current or former RAF personnel, our team will be here, ensuring you understand and are comfortable with each stage of the process.

We can assist with all stages of a claim or appeal and, if needed, offer free representation at Tribunal.

The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

If you sustained an injury or medical condition due to service after 6 April 2005, this falls under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

These claims must be made within 7 years of the onset of injury or in cases of mental health conditions, you first seeking medical advice, and therefore can be claimed whilst still in service.

These claims have tighter legal boundaries of acceptance for injuries than other schemes, so we recommend you get in touch with our expert team to find out more.

If you believe you may be eligible or would like support with an Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claim, please get in touch with our team today.

The War Pensions Scheme

This scheme is dedicated to injury or illness caused or made worse by your service in the RAF on or before 5 April 2005. Claims cannot be made until after discharge from full-time service.

You do not need to have been in an operational situation to qualify, as most duty and sporting activity would satisfy the legal test for consideration of an award.

If you believe you may be eligible, or would like support with a War Pensions claim, please get in touch with our team today.

How the process works

When you get in touch with us for support with a claim, our dedicated and friendly team will listen to your account of the case and offer expert advice on the best next steps to take.

We will advise you over the phone and discuss your case, your chance of success at claim or appeal stage, and whether further evidence may be needed. If you haven’t already we can then help you lodge your case and plan any next steps.

If you want to challenge an award or decision, we will also be able to help you throughout the tribunal process.

Our team will be available to talk you through each stage, advising on what you can expect at your hearing, help you prepare your case and, should you need it, we can represent you for free.

If we are unable to represent you at a tribunal (either due to short notice or availability) we will discuss your case with you over the phone and offer appropriate advice to help prepare you as much as possible.

FAQ

The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) was set up by the government to provide compensation to military personnel injured on or after 6 April 2005. Managed by Veterans UK, it uses a tariff system to award set payments for injuries caused by service.

The AFCS is a ‘no-fault’ scheme so unlike a civil personal injury claim, seeking compensation through the AFCS means there is no need to prove blame.

The War Pension Scheme is dedicated to injury or illness caused or made worse by service on or before the 5 April 2005.

You do not need to have been in an operational situation to qualify, as most duty and sporting activity would satisfy the legal test for consideration of an award. The injury or illness does not necessarily need to have been a direct result of any conflict, but you must be able to raise a ‘reasonable doubt’ that it is due to or has been aggravated by service factors.

Claims must be made within a strict seven-year time limit from when you sustained your injury.

If you are making a mental health claim (including PTSD), the seven years start from when you first sought medical help for your condition.

If you do not realise you have sustained an injury or illness until after the seven-year limit, for example, if a disease develops in later life, you may still be able make a claim under the AFCS for a late-onset illness. You will have three years to claim from the date you first become aware of your injury or illness.

You do not have to wait until you’ve left the Forces to make a claim.

You can dispute a decision by appealing, within one year of the date of the decision, to Veterans UK.

If you want to dispute a compensation decision, the Royal Air Forces Association can support you through the process. We can provide appeal forms, help you to lodge an appeal and represent you at the appeal Tribunal if you wish, all free of charge.

For advice on this, get in touch below or call us on 0800 018 2361

You cannot claim for medical negligence under the War Pensions Scheme or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. These are ‘no-fault’ schemes, meaning that if a payment is made, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) do not accept any fault for the injuries or illnesses claimed for by service personnel.

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