The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and Making a Claim.

Claim forms can be downloaded from the Veterans Agency website

The Veterans Agency (VA) administers the claims procedure.

Requests for further information and Medical Examination.

Any claim will be considered to be null and void if the claimant fails to provide the VA with additional information within three months of the request being made.

Any claim will be considered to be null and void if the claimant fails to attend a medical examination and then fails to give a satisfactory explanation within three months of the original appointment.

The treating of a claim as null and void does not prevent a new claim being made.

Claims under the scheme must be:

• in writing;
• submitted on the appropriate claim form;
• signed by or on behalf of the person claiming benefits;
• given or sent to the VA within the appropriate timescales (see below).

It is the person's responsibility to complete the form and send it to the VA.

Instances where claims are not required.

• a member is invalided from the Armed Forces on medical grounds; or
• a member of the Armed Forces dies while serving.

The only circumstances where a claim should be made following a death are claims for dependant children when the member dies in service and:

• leaves no surviving spouse, surviving partner, surviving civil partner; or
• the child is not living with any surviving spouse, surviving partner, surviving civil partner on the date of death of the Service person.

The reason that claims need to be made is that otherwise the MOD would not have any knowledge of such a child.

Time limits.

The time limit for claiming for injury and illness caused by service is 5 years from the day:

• the injury or illness occurs; or
• An injury which is not caused by service is made worse by service
• where the member or former member of the Armed Forces is suffering from an illness, the person first seeks medical advice; or
• the service of the member of the forces ends

Whichever is the earlier.

In cases where diagnosis is not made until during the fifth year then the time limit can be extended by one year from the date of that diagnosis

Exemptions to the 5 year limit.

The following conditions which may not present until after the 5 year limit will be considered under the Scheme:

• a malignancy, or a disorder of the liver, kidneys or central nervous system, in each case which is capable of being caused by an occupational exposure occurring more than 5 years before the onset of the illness or the date of death as the case may be;
• a mental disorder which is capable of being caused by an incident occurring more than 5 years before the onset of the illness;
• a mental disorder capable of being caused by an incident occurring less than five years before the date of onset of the illness, which disorder is capable of causing the person suffering from it to be unable to seek medical help for the disorder within 5 years of the date of onset of the illness.

Time limits to claim for death

In all cases a claim must be made within one year from the date of death whether this was due to a late onset illness or not.

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