Benjamin Jones

Really pleased with the response to our veterans policy paper. A short summary for those interested... A Restore Britain government will: Create a Department of Veterans Affairs. We will establish a Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), bringing veterans policy, welfare, pensions, compensation, transition and veterans support under one accountable government department. Introduce enforceable veterans’ rights. We will introduce a statutory Veterans Charter setting defined legal entitlements, national minimum standards and duties on public bodies to deliver them. Give every veteran one local point of contact. We will establish a nationwide network of local DVA Veterans Officers, recruited from the veterans community and embedded in every county, unitary, district or borough level of local government, who will coordinate support, identify entitlements and escalate failures on behalf of veterans and their families. Ensure no British veteran is without a home. Veterans and qualifying families will receive statutory priority in housing and housing support across the United Kingdom. Introduce a Veterans Healthcare Guarantee. Veterans will receive free prescriptions in England, free NHS dental care, free eye tests, free hearing tests and access to specialist veteran healthcare. Guarantee dental treatment when the NHS cannot provide it. Where NHS dental capacity is unavailable, the DVA will commission treatment from accredited independent providers ensuring veterans receive treatment when they require it. Strengthen specialist veterans healthcare. Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE will be retained and strengthened, with equivalent specialist support guaranteed across the United Kingdom. Provide employment support throughout a veteran’s working life. In addition to employment services generally available, veterans will remain able to access DVA employment assistance after discharge if they later face redundancy, ill health or the need to change career. Fund retraining for civilian employment. Veterans will receive funded retraining where their military skills and qualifications do not translate directly into recognised civilian credentials. Make military qualifications count. We will drive greater recognition of the equivalence of certified military training, qualifications and experience by government, employers and qualification bodies. Prioritise veterans for uniformed public service recruitment. Police, fire and rescue, medical, prison, border and immigration services will be directed to prioritise recruitment from service leavers and the veteran community, subject to merit. Support veterans’ families as well as veterans. Spouses, partners, dependent children and bereaved families will receive defined entitlements and access to DVA support under the Veterans Charter. Extend funeral support to all veterans. The DVA will provide a funeral contribution for all qualifying veterans. End malicious and repeated legacy legal action. We will act decisively and legislate to prevent veterans and serving personnel being subjected to malicious, repeated or evidentially exhausted investigations, prosecutions and litigation arising from Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Iraq or future conflicts. Pursue those who manufacture fraudulent cases against service personnel. All civil litigation cases against veterans will be reviewed and suspected professional misconduct. Fabricating evidence, coaching witnesses, inventing injuries and defrauding legal aid are all potential crimes and where evidence is found of such criminality it will be investigated and offenders prosecuted. Recognise qualifying operational service through continued use of rank. Former commissioned officers and warrant officers who have served on operations will be entitled to use their substantive rank in civilian life. Put these commitments into law. A Veterans Affairs and Charter Bill will establish the DVA, place the Veterans Charter and principal entitlements on a statutory footing, create the legal basis and powers for the Veterans Officer system and protect service personnel and veterans against malicious legacy action. All put together by veteran @_HenryBolton. Written by veterans, for veterans. A Restore Britain Government will deliver for our veterans - I promise you that.