Service leavers will now be issued with an ID card to affirm their veteran status.
A new veteran’s ID card has begun to be sent out to service leavers and will be issued to anyone who has left the armed services in the last year. All other veterans will be able to apply for a new ID card by the end of this year, to mark their time in the armed forces.
The cards allow veterans to easily verify their service to the NHS, their local authority, and charities, helping them to access support and services where needed. The new ID card is one of three that are available to service leavers.
Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, said: “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the ex-forces community, and we are working hard to ensure they receive the support they deserve.”
“These new cards celebrate the great commitment and dedication of those who have served this country, and I hope they can provide a further link to ex-personnel and the incredible community around them.”
Personnel leaving the armed forces are also able to keep their military IDs, known as the MOD Form 90, allowing them to maintain their emotional connection with their service. Additionally, veterans can access a range of discounts through the Defence Discount Service, the official MOD-endorsed service for the armed forces.
Veterans UK – which manages pensions and compensation payments for the armed forces – local authorities, service charities, NHS and GPs will also benefit from the change, as they will not have to conduct time-consuming checks to identify individual veterans. Any veteran in need of support can contact the Veterans’ Gateway – the 24 hour service which signposts ex-forces personnel to the wide range of support available to them, including housing and financial advice, career guidance, and medical care from the NHS.
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ex-service personnel housing ID card NHS Tobias Ellwood Veterans Veterans Gateway programme
Post written by: Ciara Houghton
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