War Disablement Pension

War Disablement Pension may be awarded to you if your disability is due to, or has been made worse by, service in HM armed forces at any time since 4 August 1914, provided the period of service in which the disablement arose has ended.

Pensions are also payable for other groups who are disabled as a result of certain injuries which are due to the Second World War and subsequent conflicts.

Basic qualifying conditions

War Disablement Pension is awarded for disablement due to, or aggravated by:

• Service in HM armed forces, including the Ulster Defence Regiment, now the Royal Irish Regiment
• Direct enemy action in World War I or II or after, if you are an ex-member of the Mercantile Marine
• Service in the Polish forces under British command during World War II or in the Polish Resettlement Forces
• Injuries caused by direct action during World War II if you were a civilian, ex-Civil Defence Volunteer, ex-member of the Naval Auxiliary Forces, the Nursing and Auxiliary Forces or the Home Guard, HM Coastguard or Auxiliary Coastguard

Applying for War Disablement Pension

Please request a claim form from Veteran’s Welfare for a War Disablement Pension. Claims should be made as soon as it is apparent that the disability could be due to services in the Armed Forces.

Payment

The level of basic pension depends on the severity of the disablement compared to a healthy person of the same age and sex. A doctor assesses the disablement on a percentage basis.

• If the disability is less than 20%, a lump sum payment can be awarded.
  • For claims made on or after 7 January 1993 in respect of noise induced sensorineural hearing loss, payment cannot be made if the assessment is less than 20%.
• For disabilities assessed at 20% or above, a pension is awarded. The pension is payable for life or until disablement ends.

You can be paid every 4 weeks or 13 weeks direct into a bank or building society.

War Pensioner Mobility Supplement

A cash allowance is payable to war disablement pensioners who are double leg amputees (one above or through the knee) and to war disablement pensioners who for all practical purposes are unable to walk. The inability to walk or the difficulty in walking must be wholly or mainly due to the pensioned disablement.