Veterans with chronic pain are not being compensated for the devastating impact long-term, debilitating pain has on their daily lives. A simple change to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme could improve veterans’ lives. Sign the petition!
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is meant to ensure that veterans and their families receive compensation for ‘pain and suffering’ caused by their time in service. It’s a vital fund helping injured veterans rebuild their lives after service. But when it comes to chronic pain*, apart from a few specific exceptions, veterans are not able to get the compensation they deserve. Either they are excluded completely, or the long term impact of the condition isn’t adequately recognised.
“I simply do not remember my last pain free day since I was injured over 15 years ago - Learning to live with chronic pain is far harder than anything I did while serving” – Royal Navy Veteran
Chronic pain can be overwhelming and relentless. But it’s not just pain. Pain can cause sleep problems, extreme fatigue, isolation, reduced mobility, and poor mental health. Pain becomes your new normal. Long term, persistent pain can disrupt every area of a veteran’s life – relationships, work, future plans.
At Help for Heroes, we talk to veterans every day who are dealing with the consequences of chronic pain, often following illness or injury during service. With the right support, veterans living with pain can find ways to rebuild and reimagine their lives.
But right now, veterans aren’t getting compensation because chronic pain is not specifically recognised in key legislation. That’s why we’re calling on the Government to bring the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme in line with current medical guidance, and to include chronic pain as a condition in its own right.
It’s a simple change which would transform the financial support available to veterans with chronic pain as they rebuild their lives after service. Let’s make sure the Ministry of Defence can’t ignore this request – add your name to the petition today!
Looking for support?
If you are a member of the Armed Forces community and in need of support, we are here for you. Please reach out.
*Chronic pain is persistent, long term pain, either as part of another health condition, or despite investigations and treatment. For veterans it can often be triggered by an injury during service, but where the pain continues long after the expected healing time.