News & Policy

The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded funds of £99,497 to RAND Europe and the Army Families Federation to conduct a 10-month study examining the factors that may affect the financial stability of current and former UK Service personnel and their families.

A new study has revealed that ex-Service personnel with physical and mental health problems are struggling to navigate a “baffling” benefits system and should not incur sanctions.

Research undertaken by the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), released today, to assess how engagement with, and by, families works during the process of transition back into civilian life and where it could be improved, highlights the need for more accessible and inclusive support.

From January 2018 to July 2018, the sector contracted by 4.5%.

FiMT has awarded £149,625 to the University of Central Lancashire, in partnership with the University of Salford, to undertake a two-year research project to understand the transition to civilian life for ex-Service personnel with physical conditions as a direct result of Service.

“At Forces in Mind Trust, we agree from an evidence-based perspective with the Royal British Legion’s call for more to be done to counter the financial difficulty some Commonwealth ex-Service personnel encounter upon leaving the UK’s Armed Forces.

Today sees the publication of ‘The UK Armed Forces charity sector: a summary of provision’ which has been produced to support the recently published Strategy For our Veterans and Consultation Paper. 

Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) funded research released today, Tuesday 22nd May, reveals that while nearly a quarter of ex-Service personnel receive unemployment benefit at some point after leaving the Armed Forces, most usage occurs in the period immediately after leaving and is short-term, with only 1.5% continuing to claim the support two years after serving.