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Pensions / Compensation

War Pensions Scheme

Am I eligible to claim?
How do I claim?
What is the claim process?
How will I be paid?
Supplementary Allowances
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Supplementary allowances

Supplementary allowances I Medical treatment and care for War Pensioners I Other allowances

Medical Treatment and care for War Pensioners
If you are getting a War Disablement Pension we may be able to consider the following;

Appliances
If you have been prescribed an aid or appliance for your condition, you may get it free from your local hospital (or from your local authority social services department if they are acting for your hospital). You may need to show them your prescription exemption certificate.

If you need an artificial limb, the hospital will normally send you to a limb-fitting centre. You must ask for our agreement to pay for an artificial limb before you buy it as we may not be able to pay you any money for it. We can only pay for artificial limbs in very special circumstances.

The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency will not normally pay for hearing aids. The National Health Service is responsible for supplying hearing aids to war pensioners.

Convalescence
Convalescent holidays can be approved if your accepted disablement prevents you from taking a normal holiday in a hotel or boarding house when accompanied by your usual carer. This is normally limited to 4 weeks in a period of 12 months. Breaks are usually taken in 2 weekly periods in a registered nursing home

Home Nursing Equipment
In the first instance you should approach your Health Authority for aids and items of equipment for the management or alleviation of your accepted condition. We can only pay for necessary, medically approved items if you would otherwise have to pay them yourself.

Hospital Travelling Expenses
We can help pay your travelling expenses when you go to hospital for treatment for your accepted conditions that we pay you a war pension for.

House Adaptation Grants
This is a one off grant of up to £750 to make a contribution towards the cost of adapting your home where the need for such an adaptation arises wholly or mainly from your accepted disablement. You must seek approval before any costs are incurred.

Part-time Treatment Allowance
This allowance is the same as for treatment allowance and is paid in addition to your basic pension and is limited to the loss incurred. It is also subject to a daily ceiling rate. You may be entitled if your treatment not your disability stops you working for less than eight days but you still lose money.

Prescription Refund
A prescription exemption certificate will usually be issued to you for your accepted disability if you are under 65

Access to Health Services - Priority Treatment for Veterans

All veterans in England, Scotland and Wales should receive priority access to NHS secondary care for any conditions which are likely to be related to their service, subject to the clinical needs of all patients.

There are currently no arrangements with Health Authorities in Northern Ireland. Their aim is that all patients should have access to treatment within a reasonable timescale. r.

Further information regarding priority treatment can be found in NHS Chief Executive Bulletin 112 (April 2002) and NHS Circular HSG (97) 31. These publications can be found on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/cebulletin11april.htm.

Private Treatment
We can only consider payment for private treatment where the need arises wholly or mainly from the pensioned disablement and the treatment is essential and not available under the NHS. Prior approval must be obtained before any costs are incurred.

Provision of Treatment Overseas
If you do not live in the UK, you may be able to get financial help with cost of treatment required in connection with your accepted disablement. Always get in touch with your Overseas Pensions Agent, or Department of Veterans' Affairs before getting any treatment.

Please see individual addresses in Overseas Services.

Skilled Nursing Care
This is the provision of long term care for severely disabled war pensioners, which is required as a result of their accepted disablement. This provision predates the NHS and is now little used because war pensioner's health care is normally through the mechanisms of the National Health Service.

Treatment Allowance
Treatment Allowance is paid at 100 per cent pension rate instead of your normal war pension. You may be entitled to this if you are having medical, surgical or rehabilative treatment in hospital or at home for the conditions we pay you a pension. It will only be paid if the treatment will help you get better, you lose some of your earnings as the result of your treatment and it is the treatment and not the conditions that stops you working for eight days or more.

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