Welfare

There are four distinct areas of means-tested support, all assessments for assistance are completed on the standard financial assessment form by fully trained Caseworkers and all records are held in confidence.

• Women's Section Allowance
• Children's Welfare Scheme
• The President's Award Scheme
• Welfare Break Scheme

All requests for information can be provided to the Women's Section Welfare Team on 020 3207 2182 / 020 3207 2183 / 020 3207 2186 or email WSWelfare@britishlegion.org.uk

The Women's Section

The Women's Section Allowance is a small means-tested allowance, which is expressly intended to help pay for day-to-day expenses. any man or woman who is eligible for assistance from The Royal British Legio also qualifies, in principle, for help from the Women's Section. There is criteria, which govern the awarding, continuation and removal of the Women's section Allowance. as a means-tested assistance, the Women's Section Allowance should never be regarded as a pension or an entitlement.

The Women's Section Allowance is allocated on a quarterly basis through the recipient's bank account. In addition to the quarterly allocation the Women's Section Allowance also provides:

• Payment of annual TV license renewal (up to the age of 75)
• Birthday card & voucher
• Christmas card & a small monetary gift to help meet extra expenses during the festive season.

Applicants must also meet the following criteria:

• Be Ex-Service personnel
• Spouse of Ex-Service personnel
  • Widows, widowers, surviving civil partners, partners
  • Divorced spouses of Ex-Service personnel who have never:
    • remarried
    • entered another long-term cohabitating relationship
• Live alone
• Be in receipt of all appropriate benefits such as:
  • Pension/Pension Credit
  • Income Support
  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Tax Benefit
• Be in very real financial hardship
• Be aged over 60
  
  Children's Welfare Scheme
  

The Women's Section Children's Welfare Scheme provides assistance for children via welfare grants:

Children's Welfare Grants - awards for children such as clothing (school uniforms & winter clothing) beds and bedding.

To be eligible:

• The children must be dependants of ex-Service personnel
• If over the age of 16 the children must be in full-time education
• Parents and Guardians of eligible children must be in financial need being a subsistence wage earner and/or in receipt of Income Support, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.

Applicants must also comply with the following criteria:

• Children must reside with a single-parent or legal guardian 
• The parent or guardian will be in financial hardship

The President's Award Scheme

This scheme has two main aims:

• To provide Educational Sponsorship by way of educational grants and scholarships to Ex-Service personnel and their dependants, Spouses of Ex-Service personnel and their dependants up to the age of 25 which includes a gap year.
• To offer Family Welfare Breaks for ex-Service families which may include a disabled member, with particular emphasis on providing respite for child carers

Educational Scholarships and Grants

The Educational Scholarships are awarded to those seeking first degrees. Each scholarship is valued at £1,500 per annum for between one and three years. Grants are awarded for up to £400 towards re-training programmes, books, travel costs and other specific needs relating to the course.

Those who are eligible to apply are:

• Ex-Service personnel
• Spouses of ex-Service personnel 
• Dependants of ex-Service personnel 
• Dependants of a couple including one ex-Serving member where the couple may now be separated.

Family Welfare Breaks

Rest and recuperation is vital for parents and children, especially in cases of disability. Family Welfaer Breaks can be provided for ex-Service familes with particular emphasis on providing respite for child carers. These breaks can be arranged for those who qualify at various holiday parks such as Pontin's, Butlin's or Haven. Additional funds may also be available for travel, children's pocket money, holiday clothing although this is decided on an individual basis.

The following can apply:

• Families where a member is disabled and is in receipt of a disability benefit to have a break
• Young carers looking after dependants, parents or siblings who are in need of a family break
• Applications from families with special circumstances are accepted.
  
  
  Welfare Breaks Scheme
  
  A period of one to two weeks Welfare Break on a half-board basis can be arranged for those who qualify. For many years the Women's Section have provided Welfare Breaks throughout the UK. This has enabled the Women's Section to compile a listing of suitable hotels and guesthouses throughout the Country. Accommodation that is used has been highly recommended from past recipients. To help ensure the break is correct for the recipient beneficiaries can nominate the resort or area where they would like to stay.
  
  Those who are eligible will be:
• Ex-Service personnel
• Spouses of ex-Service personnel
• Divorced or separated Spouses of ex-Service personnel 
• Pre or post hospitalization, have recently suffered a bereavement of a close relative or exceptional cases.

For more information and application forms please contact the Women's section, all details can be found on the contact us page.

Download our Welfare Leaflet PDF.