Ministry Of Defence
This collaborative project is delivered by Defence Relationship Management and Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities). The Hub enables forces-friendly organisations across all sectors to showcase the continued value of the UKs highly skilled veteran community.
Latest news
Women Veterans Drop-in with Guys and Saint Thomas Hospital
Guys and St Thomas? NHS Foundation Trust have launched their new initiative which will support and empower female veterans. The Female Veterans Drop-In is a safe place for women who have worked in Royal Navy, Army, or RAF to come together.
Activities during the drop-in sessions will include free Vital 5 health checks and important conversations. The aim is to prioritise the health and well-being of female veterans, while giving them an opportunity to engage in topics that matter most to them. The sessions are designed with everyone in mind, whether you want to meet up with fellow former service colleagues; get health checks, or enjoy some refreshments.
Launch of OP PROSPER to boost veterans employment
On Friday 12 of April, the Prime Minister met veterans, businesses and charities to announce dedicated employment support service.
OP PROSPER- a wraparound employment service to support veterans into work after they leave the Armed Forces. The scheme will support veterans in securing high paid jobs, where they can hone the skills that they developed in the military in key sectors that are helping to boost the economy.
Veterans Unclaimed Armed Forces Pensions A Call to Action!
Campaigning is at the very heart of the Forces Pension Societys ethos, history and reputation, and their ongoing campaign to assist veterans to claim their pension rights has been gathering momentum over the last couple of years.
This is partly as a result of the publication of the last Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) Annual Report (July 2023) showing the number of unclaimed deferred pension benefits has grown still further in 2022/3, reaching more than 17,100.
The Society is also pleased to report added momentum provided by the Office for Veterans Affairs, announcing in its recent Veterans Strategy update that:
The OVA is working with the MOD and the Forces Pension Society to reunite more veterans with unclaimed, deferred pension benefits.
To re-state the key issues of this growing concern:
- Anyone serving after April 1975 now aged 60 or over could have an Armed Forces pension if they served for two years or more.
- The pension is not paid automatically Veterans must apply to Veterans UK using AFPS Form 8 or call 0800 085 3600 for information.
- Between June 2020 and May 2022, over 4,000 preserved Armed Forces pensions went unclaimed.
Forces Pension Society CEO, Maj Gen Neil Marshall said:
These unclaimed pensions, in many cases, represent quite substantial sums of money. And the situation has not improved, with the number of unclaimed pensions rising.
We urge anyone who may know a Veteran who has not yet claimed a pension to apply to Veterans UK using AFPS Form 8 or call 0800 085 3600 for further information.
For our part, the Society will maintain its focus on this issue until we see more of these pensions in the hands of those who earned them. We encourage you to join our campaign and share our message.
More information about the Forces Pension Society
Greenwich Hospital awards grant of 24k to HighGround
In recognition of HighGrounds expertise in providing horticultural therapy and land-based employment-focused experiences to former and serving military personnel, Greenwich Hospital has awarded the charity a grant of 24,448.
For more information about HighGround, please see Veterans and education.
What is a veteran?
Veterans are defined as anyone who has served for at least one day in His Majestys Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations. There are currently 2.4 million veterans in Great Britain.
There are 2.4 million veterans in Great Britain. 40% of veterans are 16-64 years old. The percentage of working age veterans is set to increase to 44% by 2028. 60% of veterans are over 65. 75% of veterans own their home or have a mortgage. It is estimated that 3% to 6% of those sleeping rough have served in the armed forces. 75% are healthy, 17% have fair health and 8% have bad health. Want to learn more? Tune in to our being forces friendly podcast.
Listen to our team of veterans talk about their experiences: transitioning from the UK Armed Forces and what the word veteran means to them.
You can find and listen to all of our Being Forces Friendly podcast episodes on Anchor.
Share your story: what does the word veteran mean to you? Use the hashtag #ProudToBeAVeteran on the platforms below:
Veterans employment
An employers guide to hiring veterans
The employers guide to hiring veterans (published by the OVA) was launched by the Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP, Minister For Veteran Affairs at the Federation of Small Businesses HQ in London.
The guide provides support to organisations that seek guidance and best practices for the employment, retention, and career development of veterans. Case studies from existing organisations are included, providing tips and lived experiences.
Read the employers guide to hiring veterans
Career Transition Partnership
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is a partnering agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management Ltd, who are global career development and outplacement specialists and part of the ManpowerGroup. CTP provides resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces can benefit from CTP support when leaving Service.In addition, they operate as an intermediary service for employers wishing to hire Service leavers.
To date, they have assisted over 235,000 Service leavers with the transition to civilian life and supported thousands of organisations looking to employ ex-Service personnel.
Find out how CTP can help your organisation harness military talent
CTP employment fairs connect employers with skilled and experienced individuals who have un-paralleled transferable skills in planning, communication, teamwork and leadership, along with adaptability, drive and resilience.