The Armed Forces Covenant

The Government recognises the need to do more to ensure our Armed Forces, veterans and their families have the support they need and are treated with the dignity they deserve. The Armed Forces Covenant, published today, sets the tone for Government policy aimed at improving the support available for the Armed Forces Community.

The Covenant outlines the Government’s aspiration that the Armed Forces Community should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services and that the Government will consider positive measures to enable equality of outcome with other citizens, as well as consider special treatment for the injured and bereaved, as proper return for their sacrifice.

The Government has published ‘The Armed Forces Covenant: Today and Tomorrow’. This details the current actions being taken to deliver the Covenant and future commitments being implemented over the coming months and years.

• An increase in Council Tax Relief to 50%
• Launching the Community Covenant scheme
• A new fund of £30m Community Covenant Grant to support the scheme
• A Pupil Premium for Service children
• An additional fund of £3m per year to support state schools catering for significant numbers of Service children including children of Reservists
• Launching a veterans’ information service to provide support on health issues including mental health.
• Launching a Veterans Card to access commercial discounts or privileges and to consider how this could be expanded to include Service families
• Working to ensure AFCS payments are not required to be used to pay for social care
• A guarantee that veterans suffering serious genital injuries receive three cycles of IVF
• Working with banks and building societies on how they lend to members of the Armed Forces
• A Ministerially-chaired meeting with key stakeholders to explore ways to improve access to housing
• Launching a Troops To Teachers scheme

Last summer, the Prime Minister asked Professor Hew Strachan of Oxford University to lead a Taskforce, to examine innovative ways of supporting the Covenant. Their comprehensive, independent report published in December last year contains many ideas for helping the Armed Forces Community.

The Government has now also published its full response to the Independent Taskforce. This report was used to develop many of the measures above including the Community Covenant scheme and Veterans Card. To read the response please see the Related pages link on the right.
We are very grateful to Professor Strachan and his team for the work they have done in support of the Armed Forces Covenant.