Find support or get involved
Armed forces personnel make sacrifices in order to serve. They go where they are sent, when they are sent. This means families have to move, sometimes with little notice, to unfamiliar areas, or they may have to live apart for extended periods of time and cope with the issues that this can bring. And they will face the stresses and strains that arise when their loved one is deployed on operational commitments.
The vast majority of the 2.8 million ex-Servicemen and women living in Britain today have successfully adapted to civilian life, putting the skills and experience they acquired while serving in the Armed Forces to good use. However, a significant minority can be in need of support either at the point of discharge or many years afterwards.
All of this means that they can find themselves at a disadvantage in accessing goods and services.
The Armed Forces Covenant Duty further strengthens the Covenant into law. It is a legal obligation on certain public bodies to pay due regard to the Covenant principles when exercising healthcare, education and housing functions. It is an opportunity to build upon work councils are already leading to help serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families to have the same equality of access to public services as their civilian neighbours.
Below you can find a list of organisations providing support to Armed Forces personel, many of which you can also support through donations and volunteering:
Veterans UK
Veterans UK is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and was created to help ex-service personnel get appropriate support from government, local authorities, independent bodies and the charity sector.
Tel: 0808 1914 218
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion provides practical support to serving men and women, Veterans (ex-service of all ages) and their families. It provides help with finances, living independently, mental well-being, care homes, finding employment or starting a business, respite breaks and more!
Tel: 0808 802 8080 from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
This year’s Poppy Appeal launches on Thursday 26 October. Poppy Appeal collectors will be distributing poppies across the United Kingdom so please do look out for them and get your poppy from sellers in your local community.
Veterans Gateway
Veterans Gateway is for any ex-service personnel and their families looking for advice or support – whatever they are dealing with. They provide the first point of contact to a network of military and non-military partner organisations to help you find exactly what you need, when you need it - whether you’re in the UK or overseas.
Tel: 0808 802 1212 24h, 7 days a week.
Veteran Friendly Framework
Designed for use in residential settings for older people, the Veteran Friendly Framework helps care providers to offer appropriate support for the thousands of veterans living in care homes across England.
COBSEO
The Confederation of Service Charities (Cobseo) represents the whole serving and veterans community and promotes the welfare and general interests of the armed forces community.
Forward Assist
Forward Assist provides support, advice, guidance and advocacy through a variety of projects that help veterans ‘come out of the darkness’, and seek support to reduce the negative impact of social isolation and loneliness. Their interventions aim to improve the physical and mental health of veterans.
Combat Stress
Combat Stress is the UK’s leading mental health charity for veterans offering free treatment and support to ex-servicemen and women of the UK Armed Forces. Tel: 0800 138 1619, or text: 07537 404 719
Fighting With Pride
Fighting With Pride supports the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ Veterans, service personnel and their families – in particular those most impacted by the ban on LGBT+ personnel serving in the Armed Forces prior to January 2000.
SSAFA
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need. Their support covers both regulars and reserves in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force and their families, including anyone who has completed National Service.
Defence Medical Welfare Service
Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS) is an independent charity providing medical welfare to those who have, and continue to, operate on the frontline. We place trained professional welfare officers in locations throughout the UK to deliver much-needed additional support for those who are on the clinical pathway.
Tel: 0800 999 3697