The War Pension Scheme (WPS) compensates for any injury, illness or death which was caused by service before 6 April 2005.

There are 2 main types of WPS awards. Which one you get depends on the level of your disablement:

• a gratuity is a lump sum payment for disablement less than 20%
• a pension is an ongoing payment paid weekly or monthly for disablement more than 20%.

If your condition is Noise-Induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss and your disablement is less than 20% we will not be able to pay you a pension or lump sum. The rules of the scheme and the value of the payments awarded are set by Parliament. The value of the payments increase each year in line with the consumer price index. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme provides compensation for any injury, illness or death which is caused by service on or after 6 April 2005.

Who is eligible? You can claim under the WPS if you are no longer serving in His Majesty’s (HM) Armed Forces and your claimed disablement arose before 6 April 2005. There are other similar minor schemes available, please see the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Statement of Policy for full details.

Free independent advice You do not need a paid representative such as a solicitor or claims management company to apply for compensation. Free independent advice is available from the Veterans Welfare Service.

Paid representation If you choose paid representation, we cannot meet the cost of this and you will have to pay these costs yourself. Where someone is representing you on a ‘no-win no-fee’ basis this usually means that they will keep a share of your payment to cover their fees. You may wish to check how much of your payment will go to your representative before you agree to paid representation.

Time limits for claims There are no time limits for claiming, but any award will only be paid from the date of your claim.

How to make a claim To make a claim, click the button labelled 'START NOW' 70% of the way down the linked page.

The Ministry of Defence website provides information on military veteran policies, healthcare, housing, records, pensions and more.