Terminally ill veterans paid LGBT reparation payments in full, charity confirms

Terminally ill LGBT veterans who submitted claims to a Government reparations scheme have received their compensation payments in full, a charity supporting ex-service personnel confirmed.

Eight individuals with life-limiting illnesses have had their cases fast-tracked and settled just months after the scheme opened for applications.

The urgent payments were confirmed by the charity Fighting With Pride, which supports LGBT+ veterans affected by the historic ban on homosexuality in the Armed Forces.

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The organisation said it welcomed the swift action taken in these cases – even as the wider scheme has experienced a "technical" delay.

Speaking to BFBS Forces News, Fighting With Pride chief executive Peter Gibson said it was right that the most seriously ill claimants had been prioritised.

"I'm pleased that those individuals have had their claims accelerated," Mr Gibson said.

"It is right that those with the most serious illnesses are at the front of the queue."

The Veterans of the LGBT Ban: Financial Recognition Scheme was launched in December 2024 in response to the findings of the Independent Review, led by Lord Etherton.

This exposed the widespread mistreatment of personnel who were dismissed or forced out of service under laws that banned homosexuality until the turn of the millennium.

More than 1,000 testimonies were gathered during the inquiry, with many veterans describing lives and careers destroyed, medals stripped, pensions denied and deep psychological scars left behind.

As part of the Government's response, former service personnel affected by the pre-2000 ban were given the right to claim up to £70,000 in compensation.

A base payment of £50,000 is available automatically to those who can demonstrate they were dismissed under the old rules, with a further £20,000 available as a top-up based on the specific impact their discharge had on their lives.

Since the scheme opened, the Ministry of Defence has received 990 formal applications, with 1,471 people having expressed interest in making a claim.

However, BFBS Forces News understands that applicants were initially told they would receive an update on the progress of their claim 18 weeks after submitting it.

That update has not yet materialised, prompting concern among some veterans.

The Ministry of Defence has now moved to reassure claimants that the delay is only technical in nature and does not affect the overall timeline for payments.

Mr Gibson also sought to allay fears, urging applicants to remain patient.

"[The MOD] assured me this was not a delay to the financial reparations, merely a delay to the update on their progress," he said.

"A figure from the MOD has agreed to attend Fighting With Pride's next online town hall event, which takes place on 21 May, to answer any questions people may have."

Those awaiting updates can contact the Financial Redress Scheme team via [email protected].

An MOD spokesperson said: "We are committed to delivering on all the recommendations from the LGBT veterans review, with 42 of the 49 recommendations already implemented.

"These include the Financial Recognition Scheme, which we launched on 13 December 2024 for those impacted by the LGBT Ban. The remaining recommendations will be completed this year. 

"This Government will continue to support our veterans as we work to renew the nation's contract with those who serve, and have served."