AFC0065
Written evidence submitted by Dr Michelle Moffat.
Introduction
In 2018, the UK Government vowed that by 2028, “every Veteran … will never be disadvantaged as a result of their service” (UK Government, 2018, p3). While the Armed Forces Covenant is making important inroads to achieving this goal, there remains much ground to be covered. While this submission will briefly cover some of the positive change effected by the Armed Forces Covenant, it will predominantly outline some key areas in which the Covenant is failing former Service Personnel, and suggest some possible avenues for future improvement and extension of the Covenant.
Across the last four years, the Armed Forces Covenant has contributed to the delivery of a number of important initiatives to improve the lives of current and former Service personnel. This includes better mental health support under the Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE initiatives; significant spending on maintenance and improvements to Service Family Accommodation; investment in the Catterick Integrated Care Campus; and increased funding for programmes aimed at reducing veteran homelessness, among other things (The Armed Forces Covenant Annual Reports, hereafter AFC AR, 2021-2024). While these are positive developments, there remain a number of vital areas in which the Covenant is failing former members of the Armed Forces. These predominantly relate to veteran health, housing, employment, and overall consistency of support.
Priority Area 1: Health and Wellbeing
The first area in which there is room for improvement is in meeting the health needs of former Armed Forces Personnel, particularly relating to mental health. Most urgently, research from the USA, Australia, and the UK has concluded that veterans are significantly overrepresented in suicide statistics. While there are some differences in specific findings, commonalities include that former Service personnel aged under 25 are at significantly higher risk of suicide, as are those who have not deployed (Batchelor et al., 2024; Rodway et al., 2023). Moreover, male armed forces veterans in the UK have higher rates of suicide compared with the general population of that age and sex (AFC AR, 2024). Additionally, Australia’s recently released Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide found that suicide in female veterans was 107% higher than the national average (Wadham and Connor, 2024), findings that should be investigated in a UK context.
These statistics are extremely concerning, and while the Armed Forces Covenant has committed funding and support to addressing veteran suicidality, there remains much to be done in this area. An example of this is a recent initiative in Wales, a “priority service” for veterans with mental health difficulties which, while an excellent initiative, still saw veterans waiting up to six months for their first treatment appointment (AFC AR, 2024). This is surely less than ideal for mental health problems deemed “priority”.
Studies have also noted that veterans suffer a multitude of other heath conditions linked to their Service. This includes mental health impacts such as PTSD/CPTSD, anxiety and depression, and physical impairments such as deafness or loss of limbs (Young et al, 2024). In one 2024 survey, 82% of veterans reported having a mental health condition related to their Service, and 50% reported issues with their physical health (Young et al, 2024). Veterans also report experiencing related symptoms such as hyper-vigilance, anger, and memory difficulties, which can make it difficult for them to access and navigate support services, or to self-advocate (Scullion and Young, 2024). The Armed Forces Covenant must work towards better implementation of trauma-informed practices going forward, making sure that the unique circumstances of ex-Service personnel are adequately considered in the provision of government services relating to benefits and healthcare, in particular.
Priority Area 2: Housing and Homelessness
The Armed Forces Covenant has also failed to address the legacies of historic inconsistency in approach, underfunding, and fragmentation of veteran transition and support services. Housing support is one of the key areas in which veterans have consistently been let down, beginning with the failure of the ‘Homes fit for Heroes’ scheme following the Great War. While politicians promised thousands of new houses for veterans to return to, Government soon withdrew funding for the initiative, leaving many veterans living in crowded, insanitary conditions (Moffat, 2023; Damer, 2018). By the end of the Second World War, the issue of veteran housing shortages was again raised in parliament (HC Deb 23 Mar 1945), and the inadequacy of housing allowances for disabled veterans again raised in the House of Lords decades later (HL Deb 20 Dec 1972).
While history shows that veterans in the UK have been failed in the provision of adequate housing, the Government claimed in 2018 there was currently “no evidence to suggest [veterans] are overrepresented in the homeless population” (UK Government, 2018). Recent research, however, suggests this is not the case. Figures from the Department of Housing showed homelessness among military veterans in England rose 14% between 2022 and 2023 (Adu, 2023), and figures from the 2020 National Rough Sleeping Questionnaire indicated that veterans are overrepresented in the rough sleeping population (Buss-Blair, 2023).
While the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme supported approximately 160 veterans into housing in a three month period in 2023 (AFC AR 2023), corresponding figures show that 500 veterans were made homeless every three months in that same year (Adu, 2023). This reveals a significant shortfall in alleviating veteran homelessness that must be better addressed under the Armed Forces Covenant in future.
Priority Area 3: Education and Employment
A third priority area for the Armed Forces Covenant going forward is related to education and employment opportunities for veterans. While Ministry of Defence data indicates that 89% of Service Leavers are in employment within six months of leaving Service, this means 11% remain unable to find work (AFC AR 2024). In addition, many are “underutilised” – meaning they are in work that does not make full use of their skills and experience (AFC AR 2024, p60).
To date, there has been scant recognition of the educational needs of the Armed Forces Community. Research shows that veterans lack skills for financial literacy and resilience and this leaves them at a disadvantage when transitioning to civilian life (UK Govt, 2018). Access to education is essential to reduce this skills gap and ensure veterans have the best start in their civilian life.
While some effort has been made to ensure Service children are not disadvantaged when accessing Higher Education (AFC AR 2024), this must be extended to provide greater advocacy and support for veteran tertiary students as well. The Scottish Government is leading the way in this area, and this example should be emulated across the rest of the UK. This includes giving priority to funding proposals that increase job opportunities for veterans; improving literacy and numeracy; and working towards building understanding of the skills and qualifications gained in the military, which will help potential employers, as well as Higher Education providers who often fail to recognise qualifications gained during Service (Scottish Government, 2017).
The Scottish Veterans Commissioner has declared that universities should consider the barriers veterans face in accessing Higher Education, simplify the admissions process, and make sure it is clear what financial and other support is available to veterans. To address this, the Scottish Government called for universities to develop networks and mentoring to champion and support veterans throughout their studies, which may be part of the existing Scottish Armed Forces and Veterans Champions network. These initiatives are exemplary and should become part of the Armed Forces Covenant going forward, to ensure veterans across the UK have the best possible chance of accessing higher education, upskilling, and finding meaningful work that makes use of their skills and experience.
Causes
Lack of Advocacy
In every generation, elected representatives have stood before Parliament and reminded their peers of the existence of those who served their country in times of conflict. They have reminded others of the sacrifices made by veterans, and advocated for better treatment, higher pensions, more disability support, better housing and, ultimately, for Parliament and society not to forget the debt of gratitude owed to former military personnel. (HC Debs 26 April 1922, 04 August 1939, 23 March 1945; HL Deb 20 December 1972)
Successive generations should not be forced to lobby Parliament to remind our leaders that veterans exist and deserve better support. The Covenant is a commitment between the Government and Service personnel, and outsourcing so many essential services to third parties and charitable enterprises allows Government to distance itself from the bond that the Covenant creates between itself and the Armed Forces Community. As Major John Edwards said to the House of Commons in 1922, the government “has relied upon the good will of individuals to carry out the obligations of the State” (HC Deb 26 April 1922).
In addition, studies have noted that military culture emphasises self-reliance and stoicism, and as a result, veterans display emotional suppression and lack the language to express their distress (Heward, 2024). Citizens lacking the verbal acuity to express health issues or suicidal thoughts, and who may be suffering from memory loss, for example, cannot be expected to self-advocate or to adequately negotiate an often-complicated benefits and healthcare system. This creates further barriers to accessing the necessary support, and is why the Covenant must do more to ensure veterans have better advocates within the health and welfare system.
Fragmentation and decentralisation of services
It creates further layers of complication and stress, and potential for veterans to fall through the cracks, when services are delivered through multiple providers, including third parties and charities. Especially pertinent is the disconnect that occurs when information is not shared between charities and NHS agencies or local authorities (Young et al, 2024). This can result in crucial health-related information not being recorded on an individual’s official medical file, further disadvantaging a veteran who has sought assistance from a charity or health support agency that does not liaise with his/her GP.
There is much room for improvement in this area, and the Armed Forces Covenant should commit to overhauling the system, with investment predominantly via government, NHS and NHS-adjacent services, rather than through a plethora of third party contractors or charities – a system which is often fragmented and difficult for veterans to navigate. Successful examples include the “community encounter” approach used in the USA, which trains successfully-transitioned veterans to support those undergoing the transition process, including offering one-on-one check-ins with vulnerable personnel (DeAngelis, 2022). To ensure overall consistency and reduce fragmentation, the programme begins before the transition out of the Armed Forces, is government funded with veteran mentors hired as government employees, and it operates in close collaboration with charities and academic researchers who can advise on evidence-based interventions. Such a programme would work well in conjunction with Op COURAGE, for example.
Lack of NHS Education and Funding
Finally, the Covenant is failing veterans as a result of poor education and awareness among NHS staff, and a lack of adequate amount and allocation of health funding. In 2019, the Commons Defence Select Committee Report concluded that some veterans were “still being completely failed by the system”, and that the lack of allocation of funds to specialist veteran mental health services was “a scandal” (Press Association, 2019). The report noted that, at that time, out of an NHS budget of £150 billion, less than £10 million annually had been allocated to such services. As the research above demonstrates, there is a high need for better mental health support for veterans, and funding simply must be better targeted to address this vital need.
In addition, data shows that official understanding of the Armed Forces Covenant is disappointingly low. The Covenant Legal Duty impact survey, carried out by the Ministry of Defence in 2024, recorded low levels of understanding of veterancy among NHS organisations (AFC AR 2024), and this was only among the small number that decided to respond to the survey, suggesting figures may be much lower. Alarmingly, 11% of NHS-associated respondents admitted knowing “nothing” about the Armed Forces Covenant, and 31% said their organisation did not provide staff with any training about it. Further, 24% said they knew only “a little” or “nothing” about the potential impacts of Service life, while 27% of respondents believed the NHS was only “occasionally” or even “never” taking action to mitigate the effects of Service. Adding to this, one in six did not offer a webpage that provided information to assist veterans or those in the wider Armed Forces Community.
If the country’s government-funded health professionals are not being educated about the Armed Forces Covenant and the impacts military service can have on individuals, how can we expect them to do better? If there is little or no understanding of issues such as PTSD/CPTSD and suicidality, or practical issues such as adequate housing or disability modifications, then membership of the Veteran Friendly Accreditation scheme means little.
Priorities
Overhaul of Health and Housing Services
As outlined above and in the recommendations below, current healthcare systems are failing veterans. This is predominantly due to decentralisation and fragmentation of services, poorly-allocated funding, and lack of education around the needs of ex-Service personnel.
It should be an urgent priority of the Armed Forces Covenant to better champion the health and wellbeing of the Armed Forces Community, and provide greater legal rights for veteran access to healthcare and housing. This is precisely the purpose of the Covenant, to acknowledge and address the debt we have to Armed Forces Personnel, who fight on our behalf. The Covenant states that those who serve should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens, yet if the nature of their service is causing health and wellbeing issues that make their lives worse, then they are, quite simply, facing disadvantage and this must be addressed. Going forward, the Armed Forces Covenant should secure greater legal support for veteran access to healthcare and housing. In this way, providing additional services is not treating veterans better than other citizens, it is allowing them equity.
Enhanced Research Funding
Another future priority area for the Armed Forces Covenant should be greater support for academic research into veteran transition, health, and wellbeing. This future research agenda should investigate successful interventions that can be used to support existing toolkits for health professionals, including best practice relating to trauma-informed practice. Working more closely with academic researchers will help take advantage of experts in these areas who can work alongside clinical practitioners and members of local authorities to help develop support programmes that are built on a solid foundation of research evidence. This programme of increased research should also urgently prioritise female veteran mental health to understand if the recent findings in Australia are equally applicable in a UK context.
This funding should also be used to support research into historic case studies of the transition from military to civilian life. This would have an emphasis on charting UK veteran lived experiences throughout the twentieth century, including greater documentation and understanding of disability and successful disability support, employment, and mental health interventions across time, and would take into account the vast range of service environments experienced during that century, comparing and contrasting the experiences of veterans from the Western Front to the Falklands, and beyond. This data can be used to build a more comprehensive picture of the systems of support that have existed in the past, ensure veteran care is consistent and effective, and can be used for public education to ensure the sacrifices of our Service personnel are always at the forefront of public and government consciousness.
Supporting Veterans to Thrive (Employment and Education)
A final priority area is upskilling and employment of ex-Service personnel. The Armed Forces Covenant should be extended to include a greater focus on supporting the education and skills advancement of veterans. Building on the suggestions of the Scottish Veterans’ Commissioner, efforts should be increased to improve the literacy and numeracy of veterans, as well as the provision of funding for tertiary education providers to better support veteran students, possibly through the provision of mentoring programmes. Greater efforts should also be made to streamline the transfer of military qualifications and skills to smooth civilian employment and tertiary education enrolment.
Suggestions will not be outlined here, as the Scottish Government and Scottish Veterans Commissioner are doing excellent work in this area, which could be easily adapted to suit the needs of each part of the UK.
Recommendations
Concluding remarks
In the words of MP Lord Maybray-King, “Freedom was bought at a great price but freedom is not enough. We have to be worthy of it and at least one of the ways in which we can be worthy of it is by recognising adequately the claims of [those] who gave so much to preserve the freedom which we now enjoy”. (HL Deb 20 Dec 1972, c1171)
It is disheartening that the same issues relating to veteran health, wellbeing, housing, and access to government benefits have repeated throughout the last 110 years. It is simply not good enough that veterans are still fighting for adequate support when we know, roughly, how and where it is needed. While advances have been made, we need to acknowledge that we as a society and government are failing veterans in many ways. The Government’s commitment to the Armed Forces Community should be more than words and empty promises. There must be greater tangible targets and timeframes for achieving promises made under the Armed Forces Covenant. It is my hope that the Covenant could be expanded, more fully incorporated into law, and provide more and targeted funding to allow those that have served this country to truly thrive.
Author Statement
Dr Michelle Moffat, FRHistS, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
Along with Dr Kathryn Hurlock, I co-lead The Returning Soldier Network (MMU), an interdisciplinary research network that examines veterancy from the ancient world to the modern day. I am a historian whose work examines the legacies of military service and lived experiences of veterans in the twentieth century, and am actively involved in efforts to support veterans and children of military families who are studying at MMU. I am also a member of the Military Welfare History Network.
References
- House of Commons Debates: ‘Disabled Ex-Service Men (Training)’, HC Deb 26 April 1922 vol 153 cc656-99; ‘Unemployment (Disabled Ex-Service Men)’, HC Deb 04 August 1939 vol 350 cc2834-6W; ‘Housing’, HC Deb 23 March 1945 vol 409 cc1154-284.
- House of Lords debate: ‘Problems of Disabled Ex-Servicemen’, HL Deb 20 December 1972 vol 337 cc1165-92.
- Adu, Aletha. ‘Homelessness among armed forces veterans in England rises by 14%’ The Guardian, 26 December 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/dec/26/homelessness-armed-forces-veterans-england-rises.
- Appleby L., C. Rodway, S. Ibrahim, J. Westhead, L. Bojanić, P. Turnbull, et al. ‘Suicide after leaving the UK Armed Forces 1996–2018: A cohort study’. PLoS Med 20:8 (2023): e1004273, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004273.
- Batchelor, Jordan, Taylor Cox, and Charles Max Katz. ‘Military veterans are disproportionately affected by suicide, but targeted prevention can help reverse the tide’. The Conversation, 7 November 2024 (https://theconversation.com/military-veterans-are-disproportionately-affected-by-suicide-but-targeted-prevention-can-help-reverse-the-tide-238975
- Buss-Blair, Lee. ‘Ending Veteran Homelessness in the U.K.’ Homeless Link, 6 July 2023. https://homeless.org.uk/news/ending-veteran-homelessness-in-the-uk/.
- Damer, Seán. Scheming: A Social History Of Glasgow Council Housing. Edinburgh University Press, 2018.
- Heward, Carolyn, Wendy Li, Ylona Chun Tie, Pippa Waterworth. ‘A Scoping Review of Military Culture, Military Identity, and Mental Health Outcomes in Military Personnel’. Military Medicine, 189:11-12 (2024): e2382–e2393. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usae276.
- Moffat, Michelle. Scottish Society in the Second World War: Tradition, Tension, Transformation. Edinburgh University Press, 2023.
- Scottish Government. The Veterans Community - employability, skills and learning: Scottish Government response. The Scottish Government: 2017.
- Scullion, Lisa, and David Young. ‘Benefits assessments can re-traumatise veterans. We spoke to more than 100 to find out how the process could be improved’. The Conversation, 2 July 2024 (https://theconversation.com/benefits-assessments-can-re-traumatise-veterans-we-spoke-to-more-than-100-to-find-out-how-the-process-could-be-improved-233021.
- UK Government. The Strategy for Our Veterans. HMSO: 2018.
- UK Government. The Armed Forces Covenant Annual Reports, 2021-4. HMSO: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
- Wadham, Ben, and James Connor. ‘“Didn’t care enough”: here’s what the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide found’. The Conversation, 9 September 2024, https://theconversation.com/didnt-care-enough-heres-what-the-royal-commission-into-defence-and-veteran-suicide-found-238419.
- Young, David, Lisa Scullion, Philip Martin, Celia Hynes and Joe Pardoe. ‘Benefits assessments and veterans: Lessons from the Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers Project’. Forces in Mind Trust, May 2024 (https://www.fim-trust.org/wp-content/uploads/Final-FiMT-Benefits-assessments-and-veterans-report-May-2024.pdf.
24th January 2025