People who have served in the Armed Forces, and reservists, are being encouraged to declare their service so that they can claim the help and support they are entitled to
The Wolverhampton Armed Forces Covenant Board, a collaborative partnership led by the City of Wolverhampton Council, the Armed Forces, charities and other public sector organisations, says that veterans could be missing out on a wide range of benefits including:
- Discounts at the council’s WV Active leisure centres – former and current armed forces members can access the concessionary membership rate which means they can purchase a membership for just £10 a month (half the standard rate)
- Easier access to social housing – additional preference is given to veterans in the allocation of social housing by Wolverhampton Homes.
- Guaranteed interview scheme – the council operates a Guaranteed Interview Policy for those that have served in the Armed Forces. It means that, if an applicant for a job with the council declares they are a veteran and meets the essential job criteria, they must be shortlisted for interview.
- Free prescriptions for conditions related to a war pension – people awarded a war pension who are under the age of 60 can obtain a certificate to exempt them from NHS prescription charges for any condition they receive a war pension for.
For more details, and information about the help and support that is available to members of the Armed Forces community in Wolverhampton, please visit Armed Forces.
The council is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, and has been recognised for its work in this area by being awarded the prestigious Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award.
