Is a War Pension for life?
A War Pension is paid for as long as your assessment holds, and many assessments at the higher percentages are made for life. This is compensation for a service condition, separate from your AFPS pension. This guide explains when an assessment is final, when it is reviewed, and what happens to the pension when a war pensioner dies.
Key takeaways
- A War Pension is paid for as long as the assessed degree of disablement holds.
- Higher assessments are often made final (for life); others are interim and reviewed.
- A review can raise or lower the percentage if the condition changes.
- The pension is tax-free throughout, and index-linked each April.
- On death, a surviving spouse or civil partner may be able to claim a War Widow's or Widower's Pension.
Final and interim assessments
When Veterans UK assesses your degree of disablement, the assessment is either final or interim. A final assessment is used where the condition is stable and not expected to change much, and it is effectively for life, so the pension continues at that rate without routine review. An interim assessment is used where the condition might still change, and it is set for a period and then looked at again.
Higher percentages, particularly a 100% assessment for a serious, settled condition, are commonly made final. That is why many war pensioners describe their pension as being for life: once the assessment is final, the weekly pension continues for as long as they live, index-linked each April.
When it is reviewed, and can it change
An interim assessment is reviewed at the end of its period, and either party can ask for a review if the condition changes. If your accepted condition gets worse, you can ask Veterans UK to look at it again, and the percentage, and so the pension, can go up. A deterioration claim is the route for this, supported by current medical evidence.
A review can in principle also lower an assessment if a condition genuinely improves, though final assessments for settled conditions are not routinely revisited. Keeping your medical records up to date is the best way to make sure any review reflects how the condition actually affects you.
What happens when a war pensioner dies
The war disablement pension itself stops on death, because it is personal to the pensioner. However, a surviving spouse or civil partner may be able to claim a War Widow's or Widower's Pension, especially where the death was caused by the accepted condition, or where the pension was paid at a high rate. There can also be help with funeral costs in some cases.
Survivor entitlement is decided on the facts, so a bereaved partner should contact Veterans UK, which can explain what is payable. Your AFPS pension has its own separate survivor benefits, covered in our survivor pension guide.
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.