A Bramley & Stanningley councillor has spoken of his pride after Leeds City Council brought military compensation fully into line with civilian awards in benefits means testing.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) has thanked Leeds City Council after the council fully accepted its ‘Credit Their Service’ campaign recommendations and stopped altogether treating military compensation as income in benefits calculations.
Launched last year, the RBL ‘Credit Their Service’ campaign calls for an end to military compensation being treated as income during welfare benefit means testing.
Unlike civil compensation awarded by courts, such as personal injury or medical negligence compensation, which is exempt from means testing, military compensation is considered income by 80% of local authorities in the UK when determining eligibility for benefits such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Disability Facilities Grants, and Discretionary Housing Payments.
While Leeds City Council already disregarded military compensation when assessing Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support / Reduction and Disabled Facilities Grants, a review has resulted in Discretionary Housing Payments also being exempted immediately.
Hannah Pearce, Director of Campaigns, Policy and Research at RBL, said: “We want to thank Leeds City Council for working with us and doing the right thing by veterans and the whole Armed Forces community.“All councils in Great Britain have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, and this is a really good example of the tangible difference councils can make to some of the poorest veterans in their community.”
Leeds City Council Armed Forces Champions; Councillor Jane Dowson and Councillor Tom Hinchcliffe (Lab, Bramley & Stanningley), said: “The Council is often praised by veteran organisations for its existing good practice, and this change highlights our continued dedication to the armed forces community.
“As a city, we are committed to improving our support offer for all members of the armed forces community, and to being an exemplar as both a service provider and an employer. No member of the armed forces, veteran, or their families, should feel like military service puts them at any disadvantage.”
The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, said: “As a council, we are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, a commitment that we reaffirmed only last year.
“We offer an exceptional package of support to members of the armed forces, reservists, veterans, cadets and their families, so we are pleased to be able to change how military compensation is classified when means-testing benefits.
“We take our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant seriously, so we are happy to be able to bring military compensation fully into line with civilian compensation awards.”