Injured troops win battle pensions overview by new minister

New Veterans Minister and ex-marine Al Carns has promised a six-month review of the payouts given to injured troops.

Carol Betteridge of Help for Heroes told an event at Labour conference of the current chaotic system, in which amputees have to confirm every two years that their condition has not changed, veterans have their mental health damaged, and they are driven into debt due to slow processes.

The meeting also heard about veterans’ injuries being rejected by the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, but leading to later long-term pain and arthritis which cannot be claimed for.

Afghanistan vet Mr Carns said the system was “incoherent” and added: “It shouldn’t be difficult, in six months, to get a team together to do some work on this. The chronic pain is something I will take away and have a look at.”

The minister revealed he also plans a “network of liaison leads” in local authorities to end the postcode lottery of provision, and to work with devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to do the same.

He said: “There’s the good bad and the ugly out there, and we need to make sure veterans get the right channels and the right support.”

He also promised to bring an end to the nuclear veterans’ long fight for justice, which has been backed by the Mirror since 1983.

Mr Carns said: “The previous engagement from ministers on this has been sporadic and ad hoc. I’ve promised regular engagement on this over the next six months to look into missing records. You’ve got my absolute support looking into this and bringing it to a close, one way or the other.”

Help for Heroes chief executive James Needham pledged to continue the charity’s support for a compensation package for nuclear veterans. Although the Office for Veterans Affairs has now been merged with the Ministry of Defence, Mr Carns said he will “protect OVA structure, staff, shape and scale so it doesn’t get lost in the machine”.