Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant FILM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWyGgLI_y DU
What is the Armed Forces Covenant?
The Covenant is a promise from the nation ensuring that those who serve and have served in the Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly.
What is the Armed Forces Covenant?
Film https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/abou t/
What is our role?
Hertfordshire launched one of the first Armed Forces community covenants in the country in July 2012. You are key to delivering the advice & support we have promised
Did you know?
• At Northwood is the Permanent Joint Headquarters. Hitchin is home to the 254 Medical Regiment Army Reserve Centre
• We have 1,030 Service personnel stationed in Hertfordshire
• We have 214 children of military families attending Hertfordshire schools
• We have 39,000 veterans living in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant Board Membership
Public & Charitable Districts Military Organisations • Clinical Commissioning • Broxbourne Borough Groups – East & North Council • Army, Navy & RAF Herts, Herts Valleys, • Dacorum Borough Council represented by 254 Cambs & Peterbrough • East Herts District Council Medical Regiment • The Soldiers, Sailors and • Hertsmere Borough Airmen Families Council • Cadets & Reservists from Association (SSAFA) • North Herts District Council all units in the county • Hertfordshire Local • St Albans District & Town Enterprise Partnership Council • Northwood HQ • Viewpoint • Stevenage Borough Council • Hertfordshire Citizen • Three Rivers District • Families Federations Advice Bureaux Council • Hertfordshire • Watford Borough Council Constabulary • Welwyn Hatfield District • NHS Hertfordshire Council Partnership Foundation And Hertfordshire County Trust Council • Royal British Legion
Aims of the Covenant • Fair access to services – Housing – Schools – Health • Helping those who have helped us – Dedicated website Hertfordshire Heroes – Corporate Covenants • Remembering and honouring – Armed Forces Day – Remembrance Day – Victoria Cross honouring ceremonies
The Covenant is a promise from the nation ensuring that those who serve and have served in the Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly. SNAPSHOT OF THE
ARMED FORCES COVENANT 2016
We set the following
We set the following objective: We set the following objective: We set the following objectives: objective:
Support national & local Health Housing Wider In liaison with District and Borough Community Engagement commemorative events. Explore Business In liaison with Public Health and NHS Increase awareness and partners housing policy is reviewed new bids to the Covenant Fund & partners to put mechanisms in place take up of the business and customer service training support existing bids. to raise awareness of and address pledge with local
Covenant delivered. - veteran health needs. Effectively embed & raise awareness of businesses to include
What - the Covenant within local communities.
local authorities.
. What This year’s achievements: -
What
This year’s achievements: This year’s achievements: have we achieved
This year’s achievements:
• Housing Benefit policy have we achieved • Explored bids to support the -
What reviewed to achieve a • Successfully launched a Mount Prison project and the have we achieved consistent approach to the poster campaign to prompt customer service training • Business Breakfast was disregard of war pension GPS to record veteran held at Northwood HQ
income does status and encourage • patients to declare their – Communications toolkit
• achievements developed for partner Work is underway to armed forces connection • Pilot training to housing organisations encourage local the and customer service staff
? authorities to sign up to Covenant delivered. Training plan • Training delivered to Mental ? Civvy Street agreed to deliver across • Promoted Hertfordshire Health staff to raise all districts Heroes at the County Show ? awareness of veterans’ needs • Exploring the possibility
• Responded to the RBL’s • Promoted County do of HCC applying for top 5 policy changes and activity relating to Defence Pledge Gold
• Health and Wellbeing ?
currently reviewing how Armed Forces Day & Level award Strategy refreshed priority is awarded to recognising veterans’ needs Remembrance Day. assessing Disabled • Developed an online events Facilities Grant applications calendar • Responded to the from veterans
RBL’s top 5 policy
changes recognising • Launched the Christmas veterans’ needs in joint Schools Art competition
strategic needs assessments
Fair Access to services
Housing Code of Guidance 2012
How can we assist with housing?
You local Housing Allocation Policy
• local connection
• Priority Homelessness
• Assess whether in priority need; • Test of vulnerability; • Interim duty pending assessment if there is reason to believe they may be vulnerable; • Temporary accommodation if assessed as vulnerable; • Look at housing options i.e. – private renting – supported housing Homelessness Code of Guidance (Vulnerability) • How long the person has been in armed forces • Type of Service • Any time spent in hospital • Whether the forces medical and/or welfare advisers consider the person vulnerable • How long it is since the person left the forces • What support networks are available What happens when service comes to an end? • Certificate of cessation of entitlement to occupy service living accommodation (six months prior to end of service) • Secretary of State considers that housing authorities should not insist upon a court order for possession • Six month period should be used to provide comprehensive advice Housing Options
Short/medium term • private renting • Staying with family and friends
Long term • shared ownership • Help to buy schemes
Part Two
There are many varieties of assistance that might benefit Service personnel, veterans and their families. Signposting • There are a number of organisations that assist service personnel and their dependents which work within the Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO). • Included are the major assistance providers • Many smaller service related charities also exist outside COBSEO • Civilian charities also a source of assistance Eligibility for Assistance - 1
• Before signposting a person towards a Service related charity consider whether they are likely to be eligible for assistance. • Eligibility varies throughout the charity sector but the main Service caseworking organisations require: – SSAFA one days paid Service – RBL 14 days paid Service • However; each charity/assistance provider has its own eligibility criteria. Eligibility for Assistance - 2
• An ‘Applicant’ for assistance who could be a civilian may get help if they are a close relative to an ‘Eligible’ person. • A close relative includes wives; partners; widows; widowers; divorced; separated; dependent children; carers. • Thus it is worth asking the question ‘Did you or your partner (etc) ever serve in the Armed Forces. Charitable Limits - 1
• There are limits to charitable assistance and may not extend to: • Assistance with medical costs except – Specialist dental treatment – Specialist eye and hearing problems • Assistance with legal advice – CAB can provide some pro bono legal advice – RBL & SSAFA may arrange help with cost of bankruptcy (£680) Charitable Limits - 2 • Charities have limits on the help they can give to those in financial difficulties and generally will not assist with non-priority debt (ie credit card and similar debts that do not entail the loss of home or utilities). • CAB provides debt counselling – essential before approaching caseworking organisations • Point to StepChange; Turn2us; MoneyForce
Turn2us
Major Service Assistance Providers
• Royal Naval Benevolent Trust • The Army Benevolent Fund (The Soldiers’ Charity) • The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund • Help for Heroes • Blind Veterans UK • Combat Stress • Blesma • Haig Housing • Officers’ Association • Sorted
• Plus many appropriate civilian charities (ie GuideStar)
Combat Stress is a veterans mental health charity, right now they are supporting almost 6,000 Veterans aged from 18 to 97.
Combat Stress currently spends nearly £15 million per annum delivering its unique range of specialist treatment and welfare support.
Combat Stress provide support in the community, as well as providing residential treatment. Telephone number 0800 138 1619
Web Page http://www.combatstress.org.uk/
GuideStar Caseworking Organisations • Most assistance providers can be most effectively approached with the aid of a caseworking organisation: • SSAFA Established in 1883. 93 branches in UK and abroad 7000 volunteers • RBL Established in 1921. 16 area offices in the UK. Professional staff aided by some RBL volunteers/ members Available Support Housing - 1st month's rent, deposit, agency fees
Employment - job listings, training grants, travel costs
White & Brown Goods - cooker, washing machine, carpets, beds, sofa, etc.
Food & Household Essentials - emergency food vouchers Available Support Clothing - clothing vouchers for crisis cases
Benefits & Money Advice - bankruptcy & DRO fees, appeals & tribunals, advice on priority & non priority debts, Financial Awareness
Breaks - breaks for veterans, or the veterans and their families.
Aids & Adaptations - mobility scooters, level access showers, stairlifts, profiling beds, riser/recliner chairs Available Support Funeral Costs – some assistance providers may contribute towards the cost of a basic funeral
Home Improvements – assistance providers can contribute towards to cost of essential repairs or improvements
Care and Respite Homes - 6 care homes around the UK, 4 with specialist dementia care Representation
The Royal British Legion provides specialist representation for:
• Disability benefit appeals & tribunals • War Pension and AFCS appeals & tribunals • Independent Inquest Advice
Family Support • SSAFA has a number of specialist programs to support families – Adoption support for Service personnel – Norton Homes. Free accommodation when visiting relations in Queen Elizabeth hospital and – Stepping Stone homes for wives suffering abuse – Prison caseworking – Residential accommodation – Bereaved Families support – ‘Forcesline’ which is a confidential telephone and email service
Veterans -UK
Telephone: 808 1914 218
Website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterans-uk • In Nov 2016 the MOD awarded £2M for the establishment of a one-stop shop to support British Armed Forces veterans • Run by a consortium of Service charities • Provides website; online chat; phone line and text message service • Initial start date 3 April official launch 22 May www.veteransgateway.org.uk Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation https://www.stoll.org.uk Signposting - Contact Details Veterans’ Gateway • Telephone : 0808 802 1212 • www.veteransgateway.org.uk RBL • Telephone contact centre: 0808 802 8080 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.britishlegion.org.uk SSAFA • Telephone Hertfordshire Branch: 01923 606220 • Telephone ForcesLine (confidential help line): 0800 731 4880 • Email: Hertfordshire @ssafa.org.uk • Website: www.ssafa.org.uk
The End
for further information contact [email protected]