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You can claim compensation if you were injured or got an illness while serving in the armed forces (including the reserve forces).

Compensation may include:

• a lump sum
• regular payments

What you can claim for

You can claim compensation for any injury or illness that happened as a result of your service, including physical and mental conditions.

You can also claim:

• if you were injured during a service-related activity, for example a training exercise
• for conditions you had before service if you feel your service made them worse

If you鈥檙e a victim of crime while serving abroad

Find out if you qualify for the Criminal Injuries Compensation (Overseas) scheme if you were the victim of a violent crime while serving abroad.

The compensation you get depends on either:

• when you were injured
• when the circumstances happened that caused your illness

If your injury or illness is due to service after 5 April 2005

If your claim is successful, you鈥檒l get a tax-free lump sum payment between 拢1,236 and 拢650,000. The amount you get will depend on how severe your injury is.

If you have a more serious illness or injury

You may also receive a tax-free monthly payment for life when you鈥檙e discharged - sometimes known as a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP).

The GIP is based on your salary, age and how severe your injury is.

If your injury or illness is due to service before 6 April 2005

If your claim is successful, you鈥檒l be awarded either:

• a pension - if your disability is assessed at 20% or more
• a lump sum - if your disability is assessed at less than 20%

The amount you get will depend on how severe your injury is.

The rules for qualifying are different depending on when you were injured.

If your injury or illness is due to service after 5 April 2005

Claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).

To qualify you must be:

• a current or former member of the armed forces
• applying no later than 7 years after the injury or illness, unless you鈥檙e claiming for an illness that started later (sometimes known as a 鈥榣ate onset illness鈥�)

If your injury or illness is due to service before 6 April 2005

Claim under the War Pension Scheme (WPS).

There are no time limits for claiming under the WPS but you must be no longer serving in the armed forces.

Fill in the claim form and send it to the address on the form.

You can ask the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) for help with making your claim.

You may be contacted for more evidence in support of your claim.

You can write to Veterans UK to ask them reconsider their decision.

You can also appeal to an independent tribunal within 12 months.

You can apply for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) while your compensation claim is being dealt with.

You might also be able to get:

• other allowances if your injury or illness is due to service before 6 April 2005
• an Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) if you were seriously injured on or after 6 April 2005

Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)

Once you鈥檝e had the result of your compensation claim, you might be able to claim AFIP if you鈥檝e been seriously injured.

AFIP is 拢172.75 per week. It鈥檚 tax free and is paid every 4 weeks into your bank account.

Eligibility

You鈥檙e eligible if both of the following apply:

• you were injured on or after 6 April 2005
• you鈥檙e given a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) of 50% or more

You鈥檒l get the payment as long as you鈥檙e entitled to this level of GIP. You won鈥檛 be reassessed in the future.

How to claim

Contact Veterans UK for a claim form. There鈥檚 no deadline.

Claiming other benefits with AFIP

If you get AFIP you might be eligible for other benefits, such as Child Tax Credit.

AFIP is not counted as income when working out your what other benefits you can claim.

Your household is exempt from the benefit cap if you or your partner are getting AFIP.