Research conducted by The Royal British Legion in 2005 demonstrated that there are high levels of financial difficulty in the ex-Service community.
We offer a free Benefits and Money Advice Service through Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB), in partnership with The Royal British Legion. There are over 30 CABs across England and Wales participating, with a further 15 planned. The particpating CABs offer specialist debt advice to serving and ex-Service personnel and their partners and dependants.
To make an appointment, find your nearest participating Citizens Advice Bureau and give them a call:
After you have discussed your financial problems with a CAB advisor, they will suggest a number of possible solutions to you.
Sometimes we can give additional help, for instance, by paying towards your mortgage arrears or arranging a low interest long term loan. But it is important that you first seek guidance from the CAB service.
When we give additional help it is always for priority debts, such as rent, mortgage, and utility bills.
In a recent case, a CAB caseworker advised a client whose husband had served in the RAF. The client's husband suffers from mental health problems and is unable to work. As a result, the couple were having financial difficulties with priority and non-priority debts.
The caseworker was able to provide money advice, information about how to maximise income, and assistance with applications for benefits. Following consultation with the caseworker, we gave a grant of over £3,000 to the client, including payments towards priority creditors and ongoing living expenses.
Useful websites
Facts and figures
For the Benefits and Money Advice Service for the period October 2007 to March 2008:
- 681 clients advised
- 3,603 problems addressed
Types of problem | Debt | 46% |
| Benefits | 39% |
| Housing | 5% |
| Other | 10% |
Taken together, those who have used the Benefits and Money Advice Service between October 2007 and March 2008 are better off by about £500,000 due to increases in benefit or decreases in debt.
