Veterans Agency

The Veterans Agency was an Executive Agency of the UK government's Ministry of Defence (MoD). It was amalgamated into the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) on 2 April 2007 under the brand Veterans-UK.

It was formerly known as the "War Pensions Agency" and was part of the Department of Social Security. When, in 2001, the latter was reorganised into the Department for Work and Pensions, the War Pensions Agency became an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Defence and, in 2003, changed its name to the Veterans Agency.

It was the single point of contact within the MoD for providing information, help and advice on issues of concern to veterans and their families. It did this through its free Helpline, welfare service and website [1].

The term 'veteran' is used to mean all those who have served in HM Armed Forces (whether Regular or Reserve). This group has been commonly known as ex-Service personnel. The term veteran also includes their widows/widowers and their dependants as part of the veterans' community. As well as all members of the Armed Forces the term veteran also, exceptionally, includes those members of the Merchant Navy who played a vital role in legally defined military operations. The veterans' community is therefore a wide and disparate population, estimated to be over 10 million people in the United Kingdom.

The Agency provided advice on a wide range of subjects including benefits and welfare issues, pensions and compensation, Service records and medals etc.

Service excellence for veterans and Serving personnel.

To administer the War Pensions Scheme which provides financial support to approximately 250,000 war pensioners and war widow(er)s living in over 100 countries throughout the world, although most are resident in the UK.

The Agency also administered the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. This was mainly applicable to Serving personnel.

...
Wikipedia