This guide has been put together by Charlie Radclyffe, who is a veteran, a member of Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee south west England (VAPC-SW).  He suffered a spinal cord injury and now helps veterans get the right ill health pension.

In March 2022, the MOD said there were 16,518 veterans (“deferred members”) entitled to a pension/benefits but hadn’t claimed them… Are you one of them?

Or do you know a veteran who served in the British military between 1975-2005, has turned 60 and isn’t receiving a pension? You may be entitled to a preserved pension. Unfortunately, these aren’t paid automatically, even if you are unsure you it’s worth putting a claim in for an unclaimed pension.

Here’s what to do…

Click this link to the Gov.uk website and download Form 8 (AFPS Preserved Pension Application):

If you have difficulty downloading form 8, the pdf is here

You should send off the form 3 months before your pension is due. For those serving between 1975-2005, they’d have been on AFPS75 or FTRS97, which become payable at 60. (Later schemes, AFPS05, RFPS05 and AFPS15, changed the age to 65).  Confusingly, for those who served before and after 05 April 2006, they will need to submit two claims (one at 60 and one at 65)

Send the completed form to:

Veterans UK, Pensions Division MP 335, Kentigern House, 65 Brown St, Glasgow, G2 8EX

An example: Two years ago Charlie helped an ex-Army chap, aged 70, “I served in the 70s & 80s but don’t know the dates. Should I be getting a pension?” He advised him on the form, sent it in, & a few months later he got a pension & backpayment of £12k One very happy veteran!