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A measure to ensure that wounded or sick armed services veterans are treated the same as civilians with work-related injuries faces its final hurdle just days after Remembrance Sunday. Members of Swindon Borough Council will be recommended to approve a change to the authority’s rules when it comes to assessing benefits. At the moment compensation or war pensions paid to veterans is taken into account, in certain circumstances, when the council assesses means-tested benefits like Housing Benefit.
It could mean that the benefits paid to veterans who have suffered an injury or illness in the course of their service is reduced compared to that paid to a civilian who has also suffered an injury at work. Flash Sale!🌟 Get closer to Swindon's stories with The Swindon Advertiser Unlimited local news, an ad-free app, and a digital replica of our print edition—all with 80% fewer ads. Subscribe now for a seamless news experience - https://t.
co/ayrpkI4RBy #StayInformed pic.twitter.com/0RPJk3hDqF The Royal British Legion think this is unfair and launched a campaign - Credit Their Service - to get councils to change that practice - and that was taken up by Conservative Councillor Lawrence Elliott.
He introduced a motion to get Swindon Borough Council to disregard such payments to veterans in all its assessments. It was passed unanimously in council to go to the Build a Fairer Swindon policy committee which has written not cabinet recommending it agrees. The report says: “It was found that Armed Forces Compensation payments made to pensioners, those made by awards of court and those held in trust were already disregarded.
All other payments were disregarded as capital for up to 52 weeks. Money drawn from a Trust is disregarded for 26 weeks. "Second World War compensation payments are wholly disregarded.
This is all in accordance with legislation. “To demonstrate the likely scale of impact on the council, based on very similar schemes, the numbers of Council Tax Support claimants with War Disablement Pensions or Armed forces Independence Payments are low. “There are currently 14 working-age Council Tax Support claims that show income from War Disablement Pensions and 7 pensioner claims.
No claims currently show Armed Forces Independence Payments as an income.” Assuming that the cabinet approves the measure it will come into force in April 2025 at the start of the new financial year Cllr Elliot said: “I am, of course, delighted that the motion I introduced, and which was passed unanimously in full council should now bee approved by the cabinet. "It is extremely important that we treat fairly those who serve and have served in keeping us safe.
With this motion, military compensation will be treated like civilian compensation awards and no longer be regarded as income in benefit means tests. This would include Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants. "Having guided this through the Fairer Swindon Committee and to the cabinet, the approval shows we are sending a clear message to our armed forces community that Swindon respects and values you, and will treat you fairly.
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