Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about the Government’s proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and its potential impact on veterans. You can read my full response to the Government’s PIP reform proposals here.
I take the wellbeing of service personnel and veterans seriously and it is deeply concerning that the Government chose to pursue welfare reforms which appeared to prioritise fiscal savings at the expense of those who have served our country and the most vulnerable in our society. Such an approach stands in stark contrast to the thoughtful, targeted reforms that should have addressed the root causes of worklessness.
The previous Conservative Government had a strong track record for looking after our veterans across welfare and other support. The Veterans’ Gateway enables veterans and their dependents to access state and charity support services across a range of areas, including mental health. In the financial year 2023/24, the Office for Veterans Affairs provided £250,000 of funding to support this service. This helped over a million veterans in 2023/24.
Now the Government has U-turned on their welfare changes, we have an opportunity to shape future reforms to best support our veterans. I am confident there is more we can do. It is essential that the current Government continues to support those veterans who suffer to receive the help that they need.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Fuller MP