War Pension Scheme calculator
The War Pension Scheme pays compensation for an injury or illness caused by service before 6 April 2005. It is not your AFPS service pension, so for that use the pension calculator. This estimator turns a degree of disablement into the tax-free weekly war pension, using the April 2026 rates. Enter the percentage you have been assessed at to see your figures.
Key takeaways
- The War Pension Scheme covers injury or illness caused by service before 6 April 2005. Later service is covered by the [AFCS](/afcs).
- Awards are based on a degree of disablement (a percentage), not a tariff level.
- 20% or more is paid as a tax-free weekly pension; below 20% is a one-off lump-sum gratuity.
- At 100% the war disablement pension is £248.10 a week (£12,946 a year) from April 2026.
- Extra allowances can be added for severe cases, such as Constant Attendance Allowance and the Mobility Supplement.
Your assessment
Degree of disablement
Your estimate
Tax-free war pension
How this is worked out
War disablement pensions are paid by degree of disablement in 10-point bands (3.8% CPI uprating, April 2026, Other Ranks rates). Below 20% a one-off gratuity is paid instead. Severe cases can add allowances such as Constant Attendance Allowance or Unemployability Supplement. See our methodology. Estimate only, not financial advice or a promise of an award.How a War Pension is worked out
The War Pension Scheme assesses how much your condition affects you as a percentage, called the degree of disablement. A doctor appointed by Veterans UK compares your condition against a healthy person of the same age. That percentage then sets your weekly pension. Mental health conditions, including PTSD, are assessed the same way, by their effect on the whole person.
If you are assessed at 20% or more, you receive a tax-free weekly pension for as long as the assessment holds. Below 20% you receive a one-off gratuity instead of a weekly pension. The pension is index-linked, so it rises each April in line with the previous September's CPI (3.8% for April 2026).
War disablement pension rates (April 2026)
These are the Other Ranks weekly rates from the payday in the week of 6 April 2026. Officers are paid a yearly equivalent.
| Disablement | Weekly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | £248.10 | £12,946 |
| 80% | £198.48 | £10,357 |
| 60% | £148.86 | £7,768 |
| 40% | £99.24 | £5,178 |
| 20% | £49.62 | £2,589 |
For every band from 20% to 100%, plus the sub-20% gratuities and the extra allowances, see the War Pension rates page.
Extra allowances for severe cases
On top of the basic pension, several supplementary allowances can apply. Constant Attendance Allowance helps where you need daily care, the War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement helps with getting around, and Unemployability Supplement applies where the condition stops you working. Severe PTSD or mental health cases often qualify for these, which is covered in our War Pension for PTSD guide.
War Pension or AFCS?
The date of the injury or illness decides the scheme. Before 6 April 2005 it is the War Pension Scheme. On or after that date it is the newer Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, which uses a tariff and lump sum plus GIP rather than a percentage. Our AFCS vs War Pension guide walks through which applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
James Hartley
James Hartley spent 22 years in the British Army, including unit personnel administration and pensions and records duties, and now writes the scheme guides and scenario pages on this site. He is not a regulated financial adviser, so the content is general information rather than personal advice.
Sources: gov.uk · GAD factors · Veterans UK · Forces Pension Society · MoneyHelper.