LGBT veterans ‘furious' at slow pace of compensation
A campaign group said only 24 payments have been made out of more than 1,000 applications since a scheme opened five months ago.
In December, the Government announced up to £75 million for the LGBT financial recognition scheme, with payments of up to £70,000 for each veteran 'to acknowledge the historic wrongs they experienced in the armed forces'.
The Fighting with Pride military charity said eight of the 24 payouts were to veterans with life-limiting health conditions.
The charity's chief executive Peter Gibson said older veterans have been left 'furious' and feeling that 'justice delayed is justice denied'.
He has written to Defence Secretary John Healey to convey the 'growing anger, frustration and impatience' of veterans, and to say the scheme 'is sadly not delivering at a pace which meets the expectations of the ageing veterans we are working with'.
Mr Gibson said a staff of 15 people to deal with the scheme 'together with underperforming technology is clearly and simply not enough to meet the demand'.
The scheme's launch should have 'marked a moment of healing and recognition for LGBT+ veterans', he said, adding it is instead 'beginning to inflict new wounds' as they relive their trauma when applying for compensation.
Emma Storey, who was under investigation by military police and left the Women's Royal Army Corps in 1987, shared her anger over the delays.
She said: 'We feel angry and disappointed. We were treated abysmally during our service. Forced out for our sexuality and loving the people we love, only to be let down by a casual approach to the payments we're owed.
'I'm 64 years old and deserve to enjoy some dignity in the later years of my life.
'After reopening the wounds by applying for the financial recognition scheme, the least I'd expect is to be showed the decency and respect of a prompt resolution.'
Mr Gibson said it is 'high time the Government now pulls out all the stops for these veterans who bravely served their country, yet were appallingly treated for simply being gay'.
He said time is of the essence for an older population.
'Many affected veterans are in their 60s, 70s and 80s – they are furious justice is being delayed,' said Mr Gibson.
'For many it means justice delayed is justice denied. Fighting With Pride will continue to do everything we can to find every single affected LGBT veteran and ensure they get the reparations they deserve.'
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: 'We recognise the need to work quickly through the over 1,000 applications for financial recognition we've received.
'The process of working through the applications requires checking a number of information sources and historical records, however we understand the need for timeliness in delivering this important scheme.
'We are working closely with stakeholder groups and applicants can receive updates on their progress from the team via gov.uk.'
Data published earlier this month showed 40 people have had historic convictions for same-sex activity wiped from their records.
The disregards and pardons scheme was launched in 2012 but applied only to men and only for specific convictions.
It was extended in 2023 to include women and to cover any repealed or abolished offence that was once used to criminalise same-sex sexual activity.
New data published by the Government this month showed that between June 2023 and March this year 40 people had their convictions 'disregarded', meaning they had been deleted from official records.
The majority of these (35) were for military offences while three came under the Sexual Offences Act 1956.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Rogue Labor MP reveals why Albo is 'seriously an idiot' after a stunning move that benefits absolutely nobody: PVO
Keep your friends close... Josh Frydenberg's former spinner Kane Silom has been appointed director of communications for the much-diminished federal opposition.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
State Pension's future under review amid retirement shake-up
The State Pension is facing a dramatic overhaul under a Government shake-up of retirement rules. The changes could see millions of future retirees having to wait longer to claim and receiving different levels of payment. Ministers have launched a wide-ranging review of the entire pension framework – looking at when people should be entitled to receive the state pension, how much they should get, and whether the current system is financially sustainable for the long term. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that the second phase of its Pensions Review will examine 'the balance of all three pillars of the UK system – state, occupational and personal wealth'. It is expected to ask fundamental questions about how these components should work together to ensure a financially secure retirement for everyone. Full details and the panel leading the review are yet to be published. The review comes at a time of growing concern that the triple-lock guarantee – which ensures the state pension rises every year in line with wages, inflation or 2.5%, whichever is highest – is pushing up pension payments at an unsustainable rate. Rachel Vahey, head of public policy at AJ Bell, said: 'Pensions minister Torsten Bell recently ruled out scrapping the triple-lock guarantee, but as the state pension grows ever closer to the frozen personal allowance threshold it could be that the Government is finally forced to address the question of how much the state pension should really offer, at what age, and how it can increase payments sustainably each year.' The announcement comes hot on the heels of a new Pension Schemes Bill, which lays the groundwork for major changes, including the creation of massive collective investment funds – dubbed 'megafunds' – to deliver better returns for savers. Ms Vahey said the review could be the most significant shake-up since the Turner Review 20 years ago, which brought in automatic workplace pension enrolment and transformed saving habits in the UK. 'It's now 20 years since the Turner Review was published,' she said. 'That comprehensive look at the UK's retirement system ushered in a new regime for pensions, resulting in the introduction of landmark automatic enrolment reforms which changed pension saving in the UK forever.' Those reforms have seen more than 11 million people newly enrolled in workplace pensions since 2012, bringing the total number of active savers to around 20 million. But experts warn that while the number of savers has surged, many still aren't putting enough aside for a comfortable retirement. Ms Vahey said: 'Not enough people are saving enough money for their later life, and although automatic enrolment has gone a long way to create millions of new pension savers, instead of resting on our laurels we now need to take a good look at whether they are saving a sufficient amount of money to realise their retirement ambitions.' The review is also expected to probe the interaction between the state pension and private savings – including personal assets – raising questions about whether those with higher wealth might ultimately be expected to rely less on the state. Ms Vahey added: 'While details of this new Pension Review are thin on the ground at this stage, it has the potential to be as significant and could have far-reaching implications for people saving for their retirement.' Campaigners are urging the Government to set out full terms of the review as soon as possible to give millions of savers clarity on what's coming. Ms Vahey said: 'The Government now needs to clearly set out the terms of this review as soon as possible to give savers and the industry certainty over its plans.'
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Thousands gather for anti-austerity demonstration in London
Thousands of people have gathered to 'send a message' to the Government with a demonstration over spending cuts and welfare reform. Campaign group The People's Assembly said it expected trade unionists, campaigners and activists to attend the event in central London on Saturday. MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott are among those expected to give speeches at a rally in Whitehall. The organisers accused the Government of making spending cuts that target the poorest in society. Representatives from the National Education Union, Revolutionary Communist Party, Green Party and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union could all be seen at the march's start point in Portland Place. The large crowd then set off towards Whitehall shortly before 1pm. Many of the protesters were holding placards that read 'Tax the rich, stop the cuts – welfare not warfare'. Other signs being held aloft said 'Nurses not nukes' and 'Cut war, not welfare'. A People's Assembly spokesperson said: 'The adherence to 'fiscal rules' traps us in a public service funding crisis, increasing poverty, worsening mental health and freezing public sector pay. 'Scrapping winter fuel payments, keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap, abandoning Waspi women, cutting £5 billion of welfare by limiting Pip and universal credit eligibility, and slashing UK foreign aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP, while increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, are presented as 'tough choices'. 'Real tough choices would be for a Labour government to tax the rich and their hidden wealth, to fund public services, fair pay, investment in communities and the NHS.' The People's Assembly said it is bringing together trade unionists, health, disability, housing, and welfare campaigners with community organisations under the slogan: No to Austerity2.0. There will be also be speeches from trade union leaders, disability rights activists, anti-poverty campaigners and groups calling for more investment in the NHS and other public services. The spokesperson added: 'We face a growing threat from the far right, fuelled by racism, division and failed politics. We need to see people's lives improve, we need to see the vulnerable cared for and an end to child poverty. 'On June 7, we march for education, for our NHS, for welfare, for refugees, against hate, and for a society in which our children can flourish.'
