We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to review the travel concessions for invalided military veterans who are less than 80% disabled and under current regulations, do not qualify for any discounted fares.”
Details of Petition:
“A serving member of the Armed Forces can buy a concession card which offers rail travel at a reduced rate. Once they are discharged at a percentage disability of less than 80% they lose this valuable assistance. Many disabled ex servicemen and women are restricted in their earning potential and there is a real need for concessions on a much wider front. Various national campaigns are gathering pace to rectify this unfair situation. These are to be applauded, but their proposals can sometimes be too prescriptive and definitions of qualification could in time, prove to be too narrow and complicated. I would not like to see a solution which was anomalous or lead to potential abuse. Therefore, I would like your support in bringing this situation to the attention of those with the power to act, with a view to making whatever concessions are practicable. The minimum solution should be an extension of the forces railcard system which has already set a precedent and has an established administrative system. The perfect and most generous solution would be a nationwide extension of the free travel card for disabled veterans which is currently available within the London area.”
· Read the petition
· Petitions homepage
Read the Government’s response
The Government fully appreciates the service that forces veterans have given and recognises that as a result of their service to the country some forces personnel now have disabilities.
The Senior, 16-25 and Disabled Person’s Railcards are protected by the Government through its franchise agreements with the train operating companies. The Disabled Person’s Railcard is intended for all disabled people and is not limited to military veterans.
The HM Forces Railcard is a concession to support serving members of HM Forces and their families. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) – as the lead government department for this concession – does maintain regular contact with the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) to investigate opportunities for widening entitlement. The suggestions made in this petition will be fed into subsequent ATOC/MoD discussions.
The cost of the Forces Railcard (£15) is lower than other railcard products. A 3-year Disabled Person’s Railcard can be purchased for £48, equating to £16 per year. This compares favourably with the Forces Railcard (£15 per year) and other railcards which cost in the region of £26 per year.
The MoD provides a wide variety of support for veterans through the Resettlement policy for people leaving the Armed Forces, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), the Medical Assessment Programme and the HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge which promotes recognition and awareness of veterans. Help also exists with accommodation and health matters, such as ex-service personnel who are seriously injured being given priority for specially adapted social homes and the launch of six community-based veterans’ mental health pilot schemes (which will be rolled out nationally if successful).
The MoD is working closely with other Government Departments and the Devolved Administrations, all of whom are committed to delivering the measures contained in the Service Personnel Command Paper, which sets out the Nation’s Commitment to our Armed Forces, their families and Veterans.
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