Veterans Affairs committee  Again, in general, that is through the local authorities. Our local councils have funding in place in order to adapt homes and ensure the installation of guide rails, stair lifts, wet rooms, etc. It's not specifically for veterans. However, with regard to those who are wounded, i

Veterans Affairs committee  Anyone who is going to be medically discharged automatically is drawn to the full resettlement package, which means they automatically receive up to the seven weeks' worth of training. In addition to that, as part of the policy, no individual will depart through medical discharge

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, fully. When someone joins the armed forces they are asked to sign up for what is called enhanced learning credits. During their service, if they serve four years, they receive 1,000 pounds up to three years in a row post-discharge which they can use, or if they serve eight y

Veterans Affairs committee  In 2016-17, the number of individuals assisted by the veterans welfare service was over 50,000. That is contacts where we may assist for any of the schemes, any of the pension claims, as well as wider holistic support. That's in one single year. That has increased over the last f

Veterans Affairs committee  Anyone who is departing a combat area will go through what's called “decompression,” where they will spend three or four days—generally coming back from the Middle East, it's in Cyprus—in which they are brought down from the immediate feelings that they receive. When they return

Veterans Affairs committee  One of the last reports that was done focused on exactly what you just raised about our younger veterans. We introduced, for those who are departing, what is called the “early service leavers” program for anyone who has served four years or under. It makes sure they are provided

Veterans Affairs committee  It will be accessible via technology, but with the veterans welfare service, for example, still ensuring that the autonomy is there for our staff to make decisions on how they best support any veteran. I'm sure that within Canada as well, with its dispersed nature, you have veter

Veterans Affairs committee  Within the single services for the military, we have what are called personnel recovery units and departments of community mental health, which are run by the military. They are where mental health support would be provided in service, and for up to six months post-discharge. A

Veterans Affairs committee  We do not at present have anything along those lines that would be equivalent to what we do for physical injuries at Headley Court. We rely on funded support into a charitable body called Forces in Mind Trust, who are within the U.K. and perform lots of research in differing area

Veterans Affairs committee  You would be correct in that it is a continued issue for individuals, and specifically veterans. However, the veterans welfare service provides support in what we class as surgeries, which will be in local communities. Rather than expecting a veteran to travel to us, we will send

Veterans Affairs committee  We don't within the veterans welfare service, no.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm Martin Goudie. I am the strategic business development manager for the veterans welfare service.